Hypoplastic simulation of normal faults without and with clay smears

Abstract

The main objective of the present paper is to simulate the tectonic evolution of normal faults by means of hypoplasticity. This constitutive concept is introduced with state limits for sand-like and clay-like materials. Combined with conservation laws, and initial and boundary conditions, hypoplastic relations provide normal fault patterns, which are validated by model tests. For a cross section of the Lower Rhenish Basin with synsedimentary subsidence, the observed normal fault pattern is essentially reproduced. A realistic evolution of a single normal fault with the distortion of a clay layer into a clay smear is also obtained. The potential of our method for other tectonic simulations is indicated. Animations of calculated evolutions are available in the Internet via http://www.ibf.uni-karlsruhe.de/material.html.