Heterogeneous strength and fault zone complexity of carbonate-bearing thrusts with possible implications for seismicity

Abstract

The understanding of fault-slip behaviour in carbonates has an important societal impact due to the widespread occurrence and propagation of earthquakes in these rocks. Fault rock variations in carbonates are systematically controlled by the lithology of the faulted protolith: cataclasis and hydraulic fracturing with evidence of past seismic slip commonly affect fault rocks in competent limestone formations whereas widespread pressure-solution and sliding along clay foliation are observed in marly rocks. We performed a series of friction experiments on carbonatic fault rocks sampled from mature thrusts (>2 km displacement) in the Apennines of Italy. We sheared both intact wafers and powdered fault materials at low (10 MPa) and in situ (53 MPa) normal stress under room-humidity and water-saturated conditions. We used velocity steps (1 to 300 μm/s) and slide–hold–slide (3–1000 s holds) to assess the frictional stability and healing behaviour of these rocks. We observe that cataclastic fault rocks derived from competent limestones are characterized by high friction coefficients coupled with significant post-slip restrengthening and velocity-weakening behaviour. Conversely, intact foliated marly tectonites, sheared under the same conditions, show low friction, null post-slip healing and stable velocity-strengthening behaviour suggesting that these rocks deform aseismically. To extrapolate these opposite mechanical behaviours to the entire fault surface we developed a fault model integrating our mechanical data, field observations and balanced geological cross-sections. The mechanical heterogeneities highlighted in the model provide constraints for the distribution of fault patches with higher seismogenic potential.