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Fault rock heterogeneity can produce fault weakness and reduce fault stability

Fault rock heterogeneity can produce fault weakness and reduce fault stability

This is a Preprint and has not been peer reviewed. The published version of this Preprint is available: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-27998-2. This is version 3 of this Preprint.

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Authors

John Bedford, Daniel Faulkner, Nadia Lapusta

Abstract

Geological heterogeneity is abundant in crustal fault zones; however, its role in controlling the mechanical behaviour of faults is poorly constrained. Here, we present laboratory friction experiments on laterally heterogeneous faults, with patches of strong, rate-weakening quartz gouge and weak, rate-strengthening clay gouge. The experiments show that the heterogeneity leads to a significant reduction in strength and frictional stability in comparison to compositionally identical faults with homogeneously mixed gouges. We identify a combination of weakening effects, including smearing of the weak clay; differential compaction of the two goug...  more

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31223/X51P6W

Subjects

Earth Sciences, Geology, Geophysics and Seismology, Tectonics and Structure

Keywords

Fault

Dates

Published: 2021-08-30 14:06

Last Updated: 2022-01-18 02:02

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License

CC BY Attribution 4.0 International