Precarious rock evidence for low near-source accelerations for trans-tensional strike-slip earthquakes

Abstract

This paper describes precarious rock evidence for low ground motions associated with extensional sections of strike-slip faults. Recent evidence from physical and numerical models and data regressions has indicated that ground motion for extensional strike-slip regions may be lower than for strike-slip faults with a large fault-normal tectonic stress component, and for thrust faults in general. Data from compressional strike-slip and thrust earthquakes dominates the database used in most regression curves for ground acceleration, and in the calculation of current probabilistic seismic hazard maps. Therefore, estimates of ground accelerations on these seismic hazard maps may be too high for sites near extensional sections of strike-slip faults. This paper discusses precariously balanced rock data from three areas near extensional sections of strike-slip faulting: (1) the region of the Honey fault, California, with an active Holocene fault, (2) the Red Rock Canyon region of the Garlock fault, near a dilatational step-over, and (3) the region just south of Beaumont, California, near the Hemet dilatational step-over in the San Jacinto fault. These are all active strike-slip faults, with at least a few large earthquakes in the Holocene, and, in the case of the San Jacinto example, historic large earthquakes ( M=7). Thus, the precarious rocks at these sites are evidence of relatively low ground motions associated with extensional strike-slip faulting. The results of this study could be very important in developing more detailed seismic hazard maps in the future.