Seismicity simulation with a rate- and state-dependent friction law

Abstract

The dynamic motions and stabilities of a single-degree-of-freedom elastic system controlled by different friction laws are compared. The system consists of a sliding block connected to an elastic spring, driven at a constant velocity. The friction laws are a laboratory-inferred friction law called the rate-and-state-dependent friction law, proposed by Dieterich and Ruina, and a simple friction law described by dynamic and static frictions. We further extend the solution to a one-dimensional mass-spring model which is an analog of a fault controlled by the rate-and-state-dependent friction law. This model predicts non uniform slip and stress drop along the rupture length of a heterogeneous fault. This result is very different from some earlier modelings based on the simple friction law and a slip weakening friction law. In those earlier modelings the stress and slip functions become smoother with time along the length of the fault rupture, owing to the interactions between fault segments during slip. Because of this smoothing process the number of small events will decrease with time, and the universilly observed stationary magnitude-frequency relation cannot be explained. The interaction between a fault segment and its neighboring segments can be measured when the post-slip stress on this segment is compared with the stress on an identical segment (represented by a block in this modeling) without neighboring segments. If the post-slip stress of the former is much higher than that of the latter, strong interaction exists; if the two are close, only weak interaction exists. The interaction is determined by the relative motion between fault segments and the time duration of interaction. Our new modeling with the rate-and-state-dependent friction law appears to show no such smoothing effect and provides a physical mechanism for the roughening process in the difference between the fault strength and stress that is necessary to explain the observed stationary magnitude-frequency relation. The noninstantaneous healing predicted by the rate-and-state-dependent friction law may be repsonsible for the recurring nonuniform slip and stress drop, and may be explained by the reduction of interaction among fault segments due to the low frictional strength during the fault stopping. The very low friction during slip stopping allows much longer times than does the higher friction due to instantaneous healing for the fault segments to adjust their motions from an upper-limit slip velocity to almost rest. According to newton's second law, a process with fixed masses and constant velocity changes involves low forces and weak interactions if it is accomplished in a long time period, and vice versa. Our modeling also indicates that the existence of strong patches with higher effective stress on a fault is needed for the occurrence of major events. The creeping section of a fault, such as the one along the San Andreas fault in central California, on the other hand, can be simulated with the rate-and-state-dependent friction law by certain model parameters, which, however, must not include strong patches. In this case small earthquakes and aseismic creep relieve the accumulating strain without any large events.