Fold catastrophe model of strike-slip fault earthquake

• Published in: Applied mathematics and mechanics Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 349 - 362
• Main Author: 潘岳 李爱武
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Shanghai University Press 01.03.2010; School of Civil Engineering, Qingdao Technological University, Qingdao 266520,Shandong Province, P. R. China%School of Science, Qingdao Technological University, Qingdao 266520,Shandong Province, P. R. China
• Subjects: Applications of Mathematics; Classical Mechanics; Faults; Fluid- and Aerodynamics; Mathematical Modeling and Industrial Mathematics; Mathematical models; Mathematics; Mathematics and Statistics; Partial Differential Equations; Seismic phenomena; 地震机理; 微分形式; 断层地震; 突变模型; 能量函数; 走滑断层; failure criterion; energy import rate; end point of failure; P315.3; fault earthquake; fold catastrophe model; elastic energy releasing amount; 58K35; failure cri-terion
• ISSN: 0253-4827; 1573-2754
• DOI: 10.1007/s10483-010-0308-9

Using a differential form of the potential energy function and taking the effect of work applied by external force in far field into account, the mechanism of strike-slip fault earthquake is analyzed. The research indicates that each characteristic displayed with a fold catastrophe model in the catastrophe theory corresPonds to a specific primary characteristic of the strike-slip fault earthquake. The fold catastrophe can describe the positions of starting and end points of a fault failure and the distance of fault dislocation. These include the description of stability of the surrounding rock-fault system before and after the earthquake. Two different illustrations about elastic energy releasing amount of the surrounding rock with the fault failure are shown with the primary characteristics mutually demonstrated. The intensity of strike-slip fault earthquake is related to the surrounding rock press and the stiffness ratio of surrounding rock and fault. The larger the surrounding rock press, the smaller the stiffness ratio. The larger the included angle between the tangential stress axis and the causative fault surface, the stronger the earthquake.