Dynamic Triggering of Fault Slip

	Dynamic Triggering of Fault Slip K. Uenishi and H.P. Rossmanith Institute of Mechanics, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria

Summary

In this study, our objective is to provide an improved understanding of the interaction between statically pre-stressed surfacing straight fault of finite length and an elastic wave disturbance. The dynamic excitation could be due to a surface blast or due to a remote blast underground. It is assumed that the fault is subjected to initial compression (thrust fault) up to the level such that no slip occurs along the fault due to pre-loading. Then, the loaded fault will be subjected to a dynamic stress. In general, numerical methods are required to solve wave-fault interaction problems. Therefore, the resulting dynamic stick-slip transition along the fault is simulated using the finite difference program SWIFD. It is observed that an impinging stress wave will be scattered about a fault and if the fault is uniformly stressed slip may be induced over certain parts of the fault. This time-dependent slip pattern is strongly controlled by the stress wave pattern.

Keywords

Blast-induced seismicity, Dynamic triggering, Fault slip, Slip pulse.

Related Publications

Rossmanith, H.P., and K. Uenishi (1995). Dynamic Triggering of Fault Slip. In: Proceedings of Georg Mandl 70th Anniversary Symposium (Graz, Austria, 1-2 December 1995).
Uenishi, K., and H.P. Rossmanith (2000). Dynamic Triggering of Fault Slip. In: Aspects of Tectonic Faulting (F.K. Lehner and J.L. Urai [editors]), pp.185-192, Springer-Verlag, Berlin/Heidelberg.

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