Slip partitioning and seismogenic stress buildup adjacent to the junction of the Lenglongling fault and the Tuolaishan fault: Insights from kinematically constrained numerical simulations

Abstract

Understanding fault kinematics plays a crucial role in estimating seismic hazards and linking the relationship between seismogenic stress buildup and tectonic deformation. The northwestern segment of the Qilian-Haiyuan fault zone (QHFZ) serves as a natural laboratory for investigating how the oblique block motion decomposes into a complex fault system. In this study, we constructed a 3D FEM model incorporating the active faults as contact discontinuities to obtain a continuous numerical image of fault slip rates. Our findings revealed that deformation partitioning within the context of oblique block convergence generates a spatially heterogeneous distribution of fault slip rates. The inferred strike-slip rates of the Tuolaishan fault and the Lenglongling fault (LLLF) range from approximately 2 to 4 mm/yr and 4 to 7 mm/yr, respectively. The Lenglongling fault's slip behavior exhibits a spatial transition, with a dominant strike-slip component dominating in the western part and gradually changing to a combination of reverse faulting and strike-slip in the eastern segment. The Northern Lenglongling fault (NLLLF), characterized by a listric shape, merges with the LLLF in the deep crust, resulting in the formation of a positive flower structure that enhances the accumulation of compressional seismogenic stress. The region with high shear strain rates within this area has experienced significant earthquakes, including the 2022 Menyuan MS 6.9 earthquake, the 2016 Menyuan MS 6.4 earthquake, and the 1986 Menyuan MS 6.4 earthquake. Our numerical study gained valuable insights into the relationship between slip partitioning, fault structures, and regional stress.