Investigating the Deformation and Failure Mechanism of a Submarine Tunnel with Flexible Joints Subjected to Strike-Slip Faults

Knowledge from historical earthquake events indicates that a submarine tunnel crossing active strike-slip faults is prone to be damaged in an earthquake. Previous studies have demonstrated that the flexible joints are an effective measure for a submarine tunnel crossing a strike-slip fault. The background project of this paper is the second submarine tunnel of Jiaozhou bay. In this work, model tests and numerical simulations are conducted to investigate the deformation and failure mechanism of a submarine tunnel with flexible joints under a strike-slip fault dislocation. The influence of strike-slip faults on a tunnel with flexible joints has been investigated by examining the deformation of rock mass surface, analyzing lining stains, and crack propagation from model tests. Numerical simulations are conducted to study the effects of the design parameters of a tunnel with flexible joints on the mechanical response of the lining. The results showed that the ‘articulated design’ measure can improve the ability of the tunnel to resist the strike-slip faults. In terms of the mechanism of design parameters of a tunnel with flexible joints, this paper finds that increasing the lining thickness, decreasing the lining segment length, and decreasing the tunnel diameter to a reasonable extent could effectively improve the performance of this faulting resistance measure for a tunnel under the strike-slip fault zone dislocation. Compared with the horseshoe tunnel cross-section, the circular tunnel cross-section can improve the ability of the faulting resistance of a tunnel with flexible joints, while the optimal angle of the tunnel crossing the fault zone is 90º. It is concluded that the wider fault zone, smaller flexible joint width, and less stiffness of the flexible joint could make lining safer under a strike-slip fault dislocation. The above research results can serve as a necessary theoretical reference and technical support for the design of reinforcement measures for a submarine tunnel with flexible joints under strike-slip fault dislocation.

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Deformation and failure of a tunnel in the restraining bend of a strike–slip fault zone: an example from Hengshan Mountain, Shanxi Province, China

Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment ◽

10.1007/s10064-016-0850-1 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 76 (1) ◽

pp. 263-274 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Daming Lin ◽

Renmao Yuan ◽

Yanjun Shang ◽

Weixing Bao ◽

Kaiyang Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fault Zone ◽

Strike Slip ◽

Strike Slip Fault ◽

Shanxi Province ◽

Deformation And Failure ◽

Restraining Bend

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RHEOLOGIC EVOLUTION OF A CRUSTAL-SCALE STRIKE-SLIP FAULT ZONE: A CASE STUDY OF THE KELLYLAND FAULT ZONE IN EASTERN MAINE

10.1130/abs/2019ne-328268 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Walter A. Sullivan ◽

Keyword(s):

Fault Zone ◽

Strike Slip ◽

Strike Slip Fault

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Numerical evaluation of the effectiveness of flexible joints in buried pipelines subjected to strike-slip fault rupture

Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering ◽

10.1016/j.soildyn.2016.09.012 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 90 ◽

pp. 395-410 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Vasileios E. Melissianos ◽

Georgios P. Korakitis ◽

Charis J. Gantes ◽

George D. Bouckovalas

Keyword(s):

Numerical Evaluation ◽

Strike Slip ◽

Strike Slip Fault ◽

Fault Rupture ◽

Flexible Joints ◽

Buried Pipelines

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Influence of strike-slip fault segmentation on drainage evolution and topography. A case study: the Palomares Fault Zone (southeastern Betics, Spain)

Journal of Structural Geology ◽

10.1016/j.jsg.2004.01.007 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 26 (9) ◽

pp. 1615-1632 ◽

Cited By ~ 63

Author(s):

Guillermo Booth-Rea ◽

José-Miguel Azañón ◽

Antonio Azor ◽

Vı́ctor Garcı́a-Dueñas

Keyword(s):

Fault Zone ◽

Strike Slip ◽

Strike Slip Fault ◽

Fault Segmentation

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Structural geometry and evolution of an intracratonic strike-slip fault zone: A case study from the north SB5 fault zone in the Tarim Basin, China

Journal of Structural Geology ◽

10.1016/j.jsg.2020.104159 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 140 ◽

pp. 104159

Author(s):

Changyu Teng ◽

Zhongxian Cai ◽

Fang Hao ◽

Zicheng Cao

Keyword(s):

Fault Zone ◽

Tarim Basin ◽

Strike Slip ◽

Strike Slip Fault ◽

Structural Geometry ◽

The North

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Hydrocarbon-bearing characteristics of the SB1 strike-slip fault zone in the north of the Shuntuo Low Uplift, Tarim Basin

Petroleum Geoscience ◽

10.1144/petgeo2019-144 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. petgeo2019-144

Author(s):

Ziyi Wang ◽

Zhiqian Gao ◽

Tailiang Fan ◽

Hehang Zhang ◽

Lixin Qi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fault Zone ◽

Tarim Basin ◽

Oil And Gas ◽

Strike Slip ◽

Strike Slip Fault ◽

Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽

Phase Iii ◽

Permeability Barrier ◽

The North ◽

Migration Pathways

The SB1 strike-slip fault zone, which developed in the north of the Shuntuo Low Uplift of the Tarim Basin, plays an essential role in reservoir formation and hydrocarbon accumulation in deep Ordovician carbonate rocks. In this research, through the analysis of high-quality 3D seismic volumes, outcrop, drilling and production data, the hydrocarbon-bearing characteristics of the SB1 fault are systematically studied. The SB1 fault developed sequentially in the Paleozoic and formed as a result of a three-fold evolution: Middle Caledonian (phase III), Late Caledonian–Early Hercynian and Middle–Late Hercynian. Multiple fault activities are beneficial to reservoir development and hydrocarbon filling. In the Middle–Lower Ordovician carbonate strata, linear shear structures without deformation segments, pull-apart structure segments and push-up structure segments alternately developed along the SB1 fault. Pull-apart structure segments are the most favourable areas for oil and gas accumulation. The tight fault core in the centre of the strike-slip fault zone is typically a low-permeability barrier, whilst the damage zones on both sides of the fault core are migration pathways and accumulation traps for hydrocarbons, leading to heterogeneity in the reservoirs controlled by the SB1 fault. This study provides a reference for hydrocarbon exploration and development of similar deep-marine carbonate reservoirs controlled by strike-slip faults in the Tarim Basin and similar ancient hydrocarbon-rich basins.

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Fault zone architecture of a large plate-bounding strike-slip fault: a case study from the Alpine Fault, New Zealand

Solid Earth ◽

10.5194/se-11-95-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 95-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Bernhard Schuck ◽

Anja M. Schleicher ◽

Christoph Janssen ◽

Virginia G. Toy ◽

Georg Dresen

Keyword(s):

Fault Zone ◽

Complex Geometry ◽

Strike Slip ◽

Strike Slip Fault ◽

Unconsolidated Sediments ◽

Large Plate ◽

Alpine Fault ◽

Slip Planes ◽

Fault Zone Architecture ◽

Geophysical Investigations

Abstract. New Zealand's Alpine Fault is a large, plate-bounding strike-slip fault, which ruptures in large (Mw>8) earthquakes. We conducted field and laboratory analyses of fault rocks to assess its fault zone architecture. Results reveal that the Alpine Fault Zone has a complex geometry, comprising an anastomosing network of multiple slip planes that have accommodated different amounts of displacement. This contrasts with the previous perception of the Alpine Fault Zone, which assumes a single principal slip zone accommodated all displacement. This interpretation is supported by results of drilling projects and geophysical investigations. Furthermore, observations presented here show that the young, largely unconsolidated sediments that constitute the footwall at shallow depths have a significant influence on fault gouge rheological properties and structure.

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