Numerical Simulation of Vertical Ground Stress Distribution along Fault Trend Direction in a Metal Mine

2012 ◽  
Vol 204-208 ◽  
pp. 119-122
Author(s):  
You Xi Wang ◽  
Guang Zhe Deng

The fault breaks continuous ground stress distribution. The rock mass in fault zone is weak and broken, it becomes stress decreasing zone. The paper, which is combined with engineering practice and rock mechanics test, numerically simulates geological environment of fault zones and analyzes faults trend direction influence on ground stress distribution in the metal mine. The results demonstrates that deep faults breaks down the continuity of ground stress distribution, principle stresses in lower wall of faults are smaller than it in hanging wall while high deep ground stresses are in cross district of hanging-wall of fault-zone and ore bed

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Randall C. Orndorff

The method of emplacement and sequential deformation of major thrust zones may be deciphered by detailed geologic mapping of these important structures. Thrust fault zones may have added complexity when horse blocks are contained within them. However, these horses can be an important indicator of the fault development holding information on fault-propagation folding or fold-to-fault progression. The North Mountain fault zone of the Central Appalachians, USA, was studied in order to better understand the relationships of horse blocks to hanging wall and footwall structures. The North Mountain fault zone in northwestern Virginia and eastern panhandle of West Virginia is the Late Mississippian to Permian Alleghanian structure that developed after regional-scale folding. Evidence for this deformation sequence is a consistent progression of right-side up to overturned strata in horses within the fault zone. Rocks on the southeast side (hinterland) of the zone are almost exclusively right-side up, whereas rocks on the northwest side (foreland) of the zone are almost exclusively overturned. This suggests that the fault zone developed along the overturned southeast limb of a syncline to the northwest and the adjacent upright limb of a faulted anticline to the southeast.


1953 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-209
Author(s):  
B. J. Lazan

Abstract The amplitude of vibration of a member at resonance, as defined by its resonance amplification factor, is analyzed in relationship to the damping properties of materials. Data are presented on damping energy to indicate the effect of stress magnitude, stress history, and temperature. Based on the mathematical relationship found to exist between damping and stress magnitude the resonance amplification factors are determined for a variety of direct stress members and beams. It is shown that the amplification in vibration caused by resonance may be considered to be the product of three basic factors, i.e., (a) the material factor, (b) the cross-sectional shape factor, and (c) the longitudinal stress-distribution factor. The first of these factors may be calculated from the damping and dynamic modulus properties of the material and the last two from the shape and loading characteristics of the member. Diagrams are presented to show these basic factors as functions of the damping exponent and other variables for members commonly encountered in engineering practice. Experimental data are presented to confirm the equations derived for resonance amplification factor of members having various shapes and stress distribution.


Geophysics ◽  
1967 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. N. Domenico

A gravity profile was obtained from closely spaced readings along a traverse approximately nine miles in length across the San Andreas fault zone immediately south of Palmdale, California in the western Mojave Desert. Corrected gravity values show a slight but distinctive minimum associated with the fault zone which may be attributed to the reduced density of the shattered rock masses in the fault zone. The existence of this minimum suggests that major fault zones may be traced across terrain, on which surface expression of the fault does not exist, by successive profiles across the suspected position of the fault zone.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn Boulton ◽  
Marcel Mizera ◽  
Maartje Hamers ◽  
Inigo Müller ◽  
Martin Ziegler ◽  
...  

<p>The Hungaroa Fault Zone (HFZ), an inactive thrust fault along the Hikurangi Subduction Margin, accommodated large displacements (~4–10 km) at the onset of subduction in the early Miocene. Within a 40 m-wide high-strain fault core, calcareous mudstones and marls display evidence for mixed-mode viscous flow and brittle fracture, including: discrete faults; extensional veins containing stretched calcite fibers; shear veins with calcite slickenfibers; calcite foliation-boudinage structures; calcite pressure fringes; dark dissolution seams; stylolites; embayed calcite grains; and an anastomosing phyllosilicate foliation.</p><p>Multiple observations indicate a heterogeneous stress state within the fault core. Detailed optical and electron backscatter diffraction-based texture analysis of syntectonic calcite veins and isoclinally folded limestone layers within the fault core reveal that calcite grains have experienced intracrystalline plasticity and interface mobility, and local subgrain development and dynamic recrystallisation. The recrystallized grain size in two calcite veins of 6.0±3.9 µm (n=1339; 1SD; HFZ-H4-5.2m_A;) and 7.2±4.2µm (n=406; 1SD; HFZ-H4-19.9m) indicate high differential stresses (~76–134 MPa). Hydrothermal friction experiments on a foliated, calcareous mudstone yield a friction coefficient of μ≈0.35. Using this friction coefficient in the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion yields a maximum differential stress of 55 MPa at 4 km depth, assuming a minimum principal stress equal to the vertical stress, an average sediment density of 2350 kg/m<sup>3</sup>, and hydrostatic pore fluid pressure. Interestingly, calcareous microfossils within the foliated mudstone matrix are undeformed. Moreover, calcite veins are oriented both parallel to and highly oblique to the foliation, indicating spatial and/or temporal variations in the maximum principle stress azimuth.</p><p>To further constrain HFZ deformation conditions, clumped isotope geothermometry was performed on six syntectonic calcite veins, yielding formation temperatures of 79.3±19.9°C (95% confidence interval). These temperatures are well below those at which dynamic recrystallisation of calcite is anticipated and exclude shear heating and the migration of hotter fluids as an explanation for dynamic recrystallisation of calcite at shallow crustal levels (<5 km depth).</p><p>Our results indicate that: (1) stresses are spatiotemporally heterogeneous in crustal fault zones containing mixtures of competent and incompetent minerals; (2) heterogeneous deformation mechanisms, including frictional sliding, pressure solution, dynamic recrystallization, and mixed-mode fracturing accommodate slip in shallow crustal fault zones; and (3) brittle fractures play a pivotal role in fault zone deformation by providing fluid pathways that promote fluid-enhanced recovery and dynamic recrystallisation in the deforming calcite at remarkably low temperatures. Together, field geology, microscopy, and clumped isotope geothermometry provide a powerful method for constraining the multiscale slip behavior of large-displacement fault zones.</p>


2007 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 1586 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Palyvos ◽  
D. Pantosti ◽  
L. Stamatopoulos ◽  
P. M. De Martini

In this communication we discuss reconnaissance geomorphological observations along the active Psathopyrgos and Rion-Patras (NE part) fault zones. These fault zones correspond to more or less complex rangefronts, the geomorphic characteristics of which provide hints on the details of the fault zone geometries, adding to the existing geological data in the bibliography. Aiming at the identification of locations suitable or potentially suitable for geomorphological and geological studies for the determination of fault slip rates in the Holocene, we describe cases of faulted Holocene landforms and associated surficial deposits. We also discuss problems involved in finding locations suitable for geological (paleoseismological) studies for the determination of the timing of recent earthquake ruptures, problems due to both man-made and natural causes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 561-567
Author(s):  
N. F. Vasilenko ◽  
A. S. Prytkov

In the northern Sakhalin Island, the tectonic activity of the fault zones is a potential threat to the industrial infrastructure of the petroleum fields. Recently, the background seismicity has increased at the Hokkaido‐Sakhalin fault that consists of several segments, including the Garomai active fault. In the studies of the regional deformation processes, it is important not only to analyze the seismic activity, but also to quantitatively assess the dynamics of deformation accumulation in the fault zones. In order to study the contemporary geodynamics of the Garomai fault, a local GPS/GLONASS network has been established in the area wherein trunk oil and gas pipelines are installed across the fault zone. Based on the annual periodic measurements taken in 2006–2016, we study the features of surface deformation and calculate the rates of displacements caused by the tectonic activity in the fault zone. During the survey period, no significant displacement of the fault wings was revealed. In the immediate vicinity of the fault zone, multidirectional horizontal displacements occur at a rate up to 1.6 mm/yr, and uplifting of the ground surface takes place at a rate of 3.4 mm/yr. This pattern of displacements is a reflection of local deformation processes in the fault zone. At the western wing of the fault, a maximum deformation rate amounts to 1110–6 per year. The fault is a boundary mark of a transition from lower deformation rates at the eastern wing to higher ones at the west wing. In contrast to the general regional compression setting that is typical of the northern Sakhalin Island, extension is currently dominant in the Garomai fault zone. The estimated rates of relative deformation in the vicinity of the Garomai fault give grounds to classify it as ‘hazardous’.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabien Caroir ◽  
Frank Chanier ◽  
Virginie Gaullier ◽  
Julien Bailleul ◽  
Agnès Maillard-Lenoir ◽  
...  

<p>The Anatolia-Aegean microplate is currently extruding toward the South and the South-West. This extrusion is classically attributed to the southward retreat of the Aegean subduction zone together with the northward displacement of the Arabian plate. The displacement of Aegean-Anatolian block relative to Eurasia is accommodated by dextral motion along the North Anatolian Fault (NAF), with current slip rates of about 20 mm/yr. The NAF is propagating westward within the North Aegean domain where it gets separated into two main branches, one of them bordering the North Aegean Trough (NAT). This particular context is responsible for dextral and normal stress regimes between the Aegean plate and the Eurasian plate. South-West of the NAT, there is no identified major faults in the continuity of the NAF major branch and the plate boundary deformation is apparently distributed within a wide domain. This area is characterised by slip rates of 20 to 25 mm/yr relative to Eurasian plate but also by clockwise rotation of about 10° since ca 4 Myr. It constitutes a major extensional area involving three large rift basins: the Corinth Gulf, the Almiros Basin and the Sperchios-North Evia Gulf. The latter develops in the axis of the western termination of the NAT, and is therefore a key area to understand the present-day dynamics and the evolution of deformation within this diffuse plate boundary area.</p><p>Our study is mainly based on new structural data from field analysis and from very high resolution seismic reflexion profiles (Sparker 50-300 Joules) acquired during the WATER survey in July-August 2017 onboard the R/V “Téthys II”, but also on existing data on recent to active tectonics (i.e. earthquakes distribution, focal mechanisms, GPS data, etc.). The results from our new marine data emphasize the structural organisation and the evolution of the deformation within the North Evia region, SW of the NAT.</p><p>The combination of our structural analysis (offshore and onshore data) with available data on active/recent deformation led us to define several structural domains within the North Evia region, at the western termination of the North Anatolian Fault. The North Evia Gulf shows four main fault zones, among them the Central Basin Fault Zone (CBFZ) which is obliquely cross-cutting the rift basin and represents the continuity of the onshore Kamena Vourla - Arkitsa Fault System (KVAFS). Other major fault zones, such as the Aedipsos Politika Fault System (APFS) and the Melouna Fault Zone (MFZ) played an important role in the rift initiation but evolved recently with a left-lateral strike-slip motion. Moreover, our seismic dataset allowed to identify several faults in the Skopelos Basin including a large NW-dipping fault which affects the bathymetry and shows an important total vertical offset (>300m). Finally, we propose an update of the deformation pattern in the North Evia region including two lineaments with dextral motion that extend southwestward the North Anatolian Fault system into the Oreoi Channel and the Skopelos Basin. Moreover, the North Evia Gulf domain is dominated by active N-S extension and sinistral reactivation of former large normal faults.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irène Aubert ◽  
Juliette Lamarche ◽  
Philippe Leonide

<p>Understanding the impact of fault zones on reservoir trap properties is a major challenge for a variety of geological ressources applications. Fault zones in cohesive rocks are complex structures, composed of 3 components: rock matrix, damage zone fractures and fault core rock. Despite the diversity of existing methods to estimate fault zone permeability/drain properties, up to date none of them integrate simultaneously the 3 components of fracture, fault core and matrix permeability, neither their evolution with time. We present a ternary plot that characterizes the fault zones permeability as well as their drainage properties. The ternary plot aims at (i) characterizing the fault zone permeability between the three vertices of matrix, fractures and fault core permeability ; and at (ii) defining the drain properties among 4 possible hydraulic system: (I) good horizontal and vertical, fault-perpendicular and -parallel; (II) moderate parallel fluid pathway; (III) good parallel fault-core and (IV) good parallel fractures. The ternary plot method is valid for 3 and 2 components fault zones. The application to the Castellas Fault case study show the simplicity and efficiency of the plot for studying underground and/or fossil, simple or polyphase faults in reservoirs with complete or limited permeability data.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Goudarzi ◽  
René de Borst ◽  
Taras Gerya ◽  
Meng Li ◽  
van Dinther Ylona

<p>Accurate representation of fault zones is important in many applications in Earth sciences, including natural and induced seismicity. The framework developed here can efficiently model fault zone localization, evolution, and spontaneous fully dynamic earthquake sequences in a continuum plasticity framework. The geometrical features of the faults are incorporated into a regularized continuum framework, while the response of the fault zone is governed by a rate and state-dependent friction. Although a continuum plasticity model is advantageous to discrete approaches in representing evolving, unknown, or arbitrarily positioned faults, it is known that either non-associated plasticity or strain-softening can lead to mesh sensitivity of the numerical results in absence of an internal length scale. A common way to regularize the numerical model and introduce an internal length scale is by the adoption of a Kelvin-type visco-plasticity element. The visco-plastic rheological behavior for the bulk material is implemented along with a return-mapping algorithm for accurate stress and strain evolution. High slip rates (in the order of 1 m/s) are captured through numerical examples of a predefined strike-slip fault zone, where a detailed comparison with a reference discrete fault model is presented. Additionally, the regularization effect of the Kelvin viscosity parameter is studied on the fault slip velocity for a growing fault zone due to an initial material imperfection.  The model is consistently linearized leading to quadratic convergence of the Newton solver. Although the proposed framework is a step towards the modeling of earthquake sequences for induced seismicity applications, the numerical model is general and can be applied to all tectonic settings including subduction zones.</p><div> <div> <div> </div> <div> <div> <div> </div> <div> <p> </p> <p> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>


Elements ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 319-324
Author(s):  
Emily H. G. Cooperdock ◽  
Alexis K. Ault

Fault zones record the dynamic motion of Earth’s crust and are sites of heat exchange, fluid–rock interaction, and mineralization. Episodic or long-lived fluid flow, frictional heating, and/or deformation can induce open-system chemical behavior and make dating fault zone processes challenging. Iron oxides are common in a variety of geologic settings, including faults and fractures, and can grow at surface-to magmatic temperatures. Recently, iron oxide (U–Th)/He thermochronology, coupled with microtextural and trace element analyses, has enabled new avenues of research into the timing and nature of fluid–rock interactions and deformation. These constraints are important for understanding fault zone evolution in space and time.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document