The Segmentation Mechanism of Periodic Activation of a Fault: Results of Physical Modeling

Abstract

We have performed physical modeling of stick-slip on a large fault in the elastic-viscous-plastic model. It was found that, after each full activation, slips on the fault took place on its particular segments and evolved with time in a regular manner. This evolution is divided into the regressive and progressive phases. In the former phase, against the background of stress relaxation, the segment structure of the fault gradually disappears owing to the directed partitioning of larger segments into smaller ones, with some of them attaining a passive state. With the onset of the progressive phase, the decrease in stresses changes to increase. As stresses increase, some active segments reach a critical density and then decrease owing to the growth of smaller segments and their merging to form larger ones. The mean and total lengths of the recurrence graph, as well as its angle (β-value), increase as this process evolves.