Earthquake mechanism and predictability shown by a laboratory fault
Slip events generated in a laboratory fault model consisting of a circulinear chain of eight spring-connected blocks of approximately equal weight elastically driven to slide on a frictional surface are studied. It is found that most of the input strain energy is released by a relatively few large events, which are approximately time predictable. A large event tends to roughen stress distribution along the fault, whereas the subsequent smaller events tend to smooth the stress distribution and prepare a condition of simultaneous criticality for the occurrence of the next large event. The frequency-size distribution resembles the Gutenberg-Richter relation for earthquakes, except for a falloff for the largest events due to the finite energy-storage capacity of the fault system. Slip distributions, in different events are commonly dissimilar. Stress drop, slip velocity, and rupture velocity all tend to increase with event size. Rupture-initiation locations are usually not close to the maximum-slip locations. ?? 1994 Birkha??user Verlag.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 1994 |
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Title | Earthquake mechanism and predictability shown by a laboratory fault |
DOI | 10.1007/BF00874338 |
Authors | C. -Y. King |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Pure and Applied Geophysics PAGEOPH |
Index ID | 70016987 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |