On the faults of western Hexi Corridor and its nearby regions, northwestern China: Thrust faults and strike-slip faults of Late Cenozoic

The structural analysis based on the explanation of seismic profiles indicates that a lot of thrust faults and strike-slip faults of Late Cenozoic occur in western Hexi Corridor and its nearby regions. They can be divided into two types. One is thrust faults dipping southwards and extending NWwards, which was mainly correlated with the thrusting of northern Qilianshan and located at the NE margin of Qilianshan and the southwestern Hexi Corridor, the other is thrust faults and strike-slip faults that were related to the strike-slipping of Altun fault and located mainly at the regions of Hongliuxia, Kuantaishan, and Helishan that are close to the Altun fault. All these faults, which were related to the remote effects of collision between the two continents of India and Tibet during the Late Eocene and later, started to develop since the Late Tertiary and presented the features of violent thrust or strike-slip movement in Quaternary. Many of them are still active up to now and thus belong to the active faults that are the potential inducement of earthquakes in the Hexi Corridor. Moreover, a lot of intense structural deformation and many morphology phenomena such as tectonic terrace and river offset were formed under the control of these faults in Quaternary.

Analysis of main shock of thrust fault earthquake by catastrophe theory

The relationship between work and energy increment of a thrust fault system with quasi-static deformation can be decomposed into two parts： volume strain energy and deviation stress energy. The relationship between work and energy increment of the deviation stress of a simplified thrust fault system is analyzed based on the catastrophe theory. The research indicates that the characteristics displayed by the fold catastrophe model can appropriately describe the condition of earthquake generation, the evolvement process of main shock of thrust fault earthquake, and some important aftershock proper- ties. The bigger the surrounding press of surrounding rock is, the bigger the maximum principal stress is, the smaller the incidences of the potential thrust fault surface are, and the smaller the ratio between the tangential stiffness of surrounding rock and the slope is, which is at the inflexion point on the softened zone of the fault shearing strength curve. Thus, when earthquake occurrs, the larger the elastic energy releasing amount of sur- rounding rock is, the bigger the earthquake magnitude is, the larger the half distance of fault dislocation is, and the larger the displacement amplitude of end face of surrounding rock is. Fracturing and expanding the fault rock body and releasing the volume strain energy of surrounding rock during the earthquake can enhance the foregoing effects to- gether.

Kinematical and Structural Patterns of the Yingjing-Mabian-Yanjin Thrust Fault Zone, Southeast of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau and Its Segmentation from Earthquakes

Segmentation of the thrust fault zone is a basic problem for earthquake hazard evaluation. The Yingjing-Mabian-Yanjin thrust fault zone is an important seismic belt NW-trending in the southeast margin of the Qinghal-Xizang （Tibet） plateau. The longitudinal faults in the thrust zone are mainly of the thrust slipping type. The late Quaternary motion modes and displacement rates are quite different from north to south. Investigation on valleys across the fault shows that the transverse faults are mainly of dextral strike-slipping type with a bit dip displacement. Based on their connections with the longitudinal faults, three types of transverse faults are generalized, namely： the separate fault, the transform fault and the tear fault, and their functions in the segmentation of the thrust fault zone are compared. As the result, the Yingjing-Mabian-Yanjin thrust fault zone is divided into three segments, and earthquakes occurring in these three segments are compared. The tri-section of the Yingjing-Mabian-Yanjin thrust fault zone identified by transverse fault types reflects, on the one hand, the differences in slip rate, earthquake magnitude and pace from each segment, and the coherence of earthquake rupturing pace on the other hand. It demonstrates that the transverse faults control the segmentation to a certain degree, and each type of the transverse faults plays a different role.

Deformation field around a thrust fault:A comparison between laboratory results and GPS observations of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

On May 12,2008,an Mw7.9 earthquake occurred in Wenchuan County,Sichuan Province,China.Movement of Yingxiu–Beichuan Fault in the Longmenshan Fault Zone was considered to be the main cause of the earthquake.Earthquakes are closely related to fault activities.Therefore,studying the strain distribution and evolution process around active fault zones is important to the understanding of seismic activities.In this study,we conduct laboratory experiments with uniaxial compression applied to marble sheets with intentionally fabricated cracks.The speckle patterns of the rock samples under different loading conditions are recorded in real time by a digital camera.To calculate the deformation fields of the deliberately cracked marble sheets during different stages of the loading processes,the recorded images are processed by the digital image correlation method.The distribution and variation of the displacement and strain are further analyzed in order to understand the strain localization of and observed damage in the experimental fracture zones.Finally,we compare these laboratory results with the GPS-observed coseismic displacements during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake,to assess the consistency between our laboratory observations and the field observations of the earthquake,but also to suggest how laboratory results can improve thinking about how earthquake patterns do and do not reflect fault patterns.

The ground deformation field induced by a listric thrust fault with an overburden soil layer

The surface deformation field induced by a listric thrust fault with a thick, overburden soil layer is studied in this paper by the finite element method （FEM）. The results show： （a） The maximum slip induced by the buried fault is not located at upper tip of the fault, but below it. （b） The vertical displacement changes remarkably near the fault, forming a fault scarp. With the increase of the soil layer thickness, the height of the scarp is decreased for the same earthquake magnitude. （c） The strong strain zone on the surface is localized near the projection of the fault tip on the ground surface. The horizontal strains in the zone are in tension above the hanging wall and in compression above the foot wall, and the vertical strains in the zone are vice versa, which is favorable for tensile- shear, compression-shear fissures above hanging wall and foot wall, respectively.

Comparative New Insight into the Tectonic Origin of Folds and Thrust Faults of an Extensional Basin: Soke-Kusadasi Basin, Aegean, Western Turkey

The Aegean area of the western Anatolian region of Turkey,controlled by the low-angle detachment normal fault system,forms an extensional province,the West Anatolian Extensional Province(WAEP).The tectonic deformation which occurred in the Miocene Period,including the Plio–Quaternary Period has created different structures in both the basement rocks and intra-basin deposits of the crust.One of these structures,high-angle normal faults,controls the supradetachment Soke-Kusadasi Basin(SKB).Within this basin,there are folds with different axes and thrust faults with a north-northwestnortheast(N,NW,NE)trend.These folds and thrust faults in the SKB deformed the sedimentary structures of intra-basin deposits.The folds and thrust faults,which caused the rotation of beddings and imbrications in the SKB,are mainly associated with the tectonic process of the low angle detachment normal fault,which affected the SKB and the Aegean part of western Anatolia.In the SKB,during the process of extensional deformation associated with primary low angle detachment normal faulting,the ramp-flat and inversion geometry observed in the basement rocks and basin deposits of the crust caused folds and thrust faults in only intra-basin deposits.In the WAEP,it is determined for the first time that the folds and thrust faults causing limited shortening deformed the Plio–Quaternary sediments.

Interaction between adjacent left-lateral strike-slip faults and thrust faults: the 1976 Songpan earthquake sequence

Based on the published focal mechanisms we have built the fault model of the main shocks of the 1976 Songpan earthquake sequence and calculated the coseismic Coulomb stress changes in the region. The results show that most of the aftershocks had occurred in the region where the Coulomb stresses had been increased, indicating a triggering relationship between the main shocks and the aftershocks. We also show that the first main shock (Ms = 7.2), which is a left-lateral slip event, had increased the Coulomb stresses by 5×105 Pa at the second main shock (a thrust event with Ms = 6.7). Therefore, we conclude that the first main shock had triggered the second main shock. The third main shock is also a left-lateral event, however, the triggering relationship between the third main shock and the previous two events is less obvious. General model calculations show that there is a good triggering relation- ship between adjacent left-lateral slip fault and thrust fault, but triggering between parallel slip faults is rather weak.

Structural Styles of Fronts of Thrust-Detachment Faults in Petroleum-bearing Areas of Western China

The front of a thrust-detachment fault may have various styles such as decoupling, fold, forethrust and backthrust ones because of differences in magnitude, direction and time of the forces exerted on the fault and the inhomogeneity of rock mechanical properties. They have different characteristics and are usually associated with gravity structure, inverse structure and diapir structure. These structures exist together in the same thrust-detachment fault and can influence, compensate for and convert into each other. They provide important grounds not only for the study of the dynamic state, propagation mode, evolutionary process and formation mechanism but also for the analysis of the petroleum generation, migration, accumulation and preservation and arrangement of drill holes in foreland basins.

塔里木盆地西北缘沙井子断裂带的构造特征与形成演化

塔里木盆地西北缘的沙井子断裂带,位于塔北隆起的温宿凸起和北部坳陷的阿瓦提凹陷之间。它是塔里木盆地的一条一级断裂带,由沙井子断裂、英雄断裂、温宿断裂和沙南断裂组成。其中沙井子断裂是主干断裂,其它3条是其分支断裂。本轮研究新发现温宿分支断裂,并将沙南断裂解释为英雄断裂前缘的反冲断层,归属沙井子断裂带。沙井子断裂带的雏形形成于奥陶纪末—志留纪初,在泥盆纪末—石炭纪、二叠纪末—三叠纪初、侏罗纪末—白垩纪初、白垩纪末—古近纪初和新近纪—第四纪发生过多期冲断作用和新近纪末—第四纪初的张扭性构造变形后,才最终定型。沙井子断裂带是一条断控油气富集区带,温宿油田、托探1油藏、沙南1油藏、新苏地1油气藏等都受其控制。

塔里木盆地塔中隆起中北部地区断裂构造特征及演化

为系统揭示塔里木盆地塔中隆起中北部地区断裂构造特征及其成因演化,通过对该区大连片三维地震工区精细构造解析和相干体等分析,并结合区域动力背景,系统论述了该区的断裂构造类型、几何学特征、差异活动机制及其构造演化过程。研究结果表明,塔中隆起中北部发育了4类7期断裂构造,其中逆冲断裂和走滑断裂尤其发育。平面上北西向弧形逆冲断裂与北东向、北西向及南北向走滑断裂相互交切与耦合;垂向上断裂分层差异活动特征明显,下奥陶统及其以下地层,断裂发育数量多且以线形为主,中奥陶统-中下泥盆统多呈雁列式,上泥盆统-二叠系仅在塔中Ⅱ号断裂带、顺北5号断裂带西南端等地区发育少量断裂。研究区断裂活动受多期、多方向不同性质应力场所控制,经历了极其复杂的演化历史:加里东早期以塔中Ⅱ号断裂带等少量北倾正断层活动为主;加里东中期Ⅰ幕断裂活动强烈,表现为逆冲断裂与走滑断裂协同演化和相互耦合特征,走滑断裂对逆冲断裂的切割或限制作用明显;加里东中期Ⅲ幕断裂活动基本继承了加里东中期Ⅰ幕的构造格局,但在工区北部的顺北4号、5号等断裂带张扭性断裂活动特征显著;加里东晚期-海西早期,部分断裂发生继承性活动且张扭断裂发育范围进一步向南扩大;印支-燕山期,仅有少数断裂发生继承性活动;喜山期该区构造比较稳定,早期形成的复杂断裂构造进入深埋阶段。

Cenozoic Denudation and Vertical Faulting History of the Central Segment of the Longmenshan Thrust Belt

Objective The uplift process and uplift mechanism of the Tibetan Plateau has been a research focus among geologists in recent years. This work put emphasis on the Cenozoic exhumation histories of the blocks bounded by the major faults at the central segment of the Longmenshan thrust belt, and the vertical faulting history, including the starting time and the total vertical displacement, of the major faults. Then we quantitatively established a complete active process for the central segment of the Longmenshan thrust belt, combining with the previous geophysical data in the deep and geologcial data. This study is critical for deeply and completely understanding the Cenozoic uplift history of the Longmenshan, and also provides thermochronology constraints to the different models for the uplift of the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau.

库车坳陷大北地区巴什基奇克组隐性断层特征与发育模式

库车坳陷作为塔里木盆地新生代再生前陆盆地,盐下叠瓦状构造楔发育,多个断片在巴什基奇克组发现了天然气藏。随着气藏的不断开发,多个气藏发生不同程度水侵,前人研究表明,隐性断层作为沟通底水或边水的高渗透通道,是导致水侵的主要原因,能否有效识别隐性断层直接影响气藏开发效果。然而,由于膏盐岩层的影响,盐下构造的地震分辨率较低,使用地震属性方法识别隐性断层难度较大。本次以大北地区为例,采用地质与地球物理相结合的思路,在钻井与地震属性方法识别的3条隐性断层基础上,通过断距—距离曲线分析主干逆冲断裂的分段性,并结合应力分析,建立了两种隐性断层发育模式。结果表明隐性断层的形成受局部应力场和区域应力场的共同控制。主干逆冲断层构造转换带是隐性断层优势发育位置,随着断层发生分段生长连接,构造转换带将由挤压应力状态逐渐变为走滑应力状态,形成的隐性断层走向也将发生变化。区域应力的走滑分量则是控制北东向隐性断层远离主干边界断层后走向,维持稳定的另一重要因素。本次研究成果将为库车坳陷隐性断层的识别和预测提供重要的地质约束。

塔里木盆地塔河油田逆冲背斜区奥陶系古暗河系统发育特征

塔里木盆地塔河油田古暗河系统研究尚处于初始阶段,主要从暗河的深浅分布、结构样式等特征开展暗河洞穴的划分,较少从构造、断裂、古地貌、地下水位等地质方面综合分析复杂暗河系统的空间发育规律,致使暗河的主次从属关系、空间叠置样式、原始连通关系难以厘清,从而制约了塔河油田开发后期的综合治理研究。为了明确塔河油田主体区逆冲背斜区奥陶系古暗河系统发育特征,利用构造断裂解析、古地貌恢复、地震属性刻画、纵断剖面解读等方法进行了S67井区古暗河的类型识别、系统划分和地质成因研究,尤其首次识别并剖析了潜流回流暗河。结果表明,S67井区处于塔河主体区岩溶台原南缘的低地势区,发育幅差较小的峰丛洼地、溶丘洼地,地表水系下切深度较浅;逆冲背斜为低角度逆冲推覆构造样式,逆冲背斜之上的网格状断裂为多层状暗河系统提供有利溶蚀通道。研究区奥陶系发育相对独立的、树枝状结构的地下水位暗河系统和潜流带暗河系统,地下水位型暗河可分为主干型、支流型和废弃型,潜流回流暗河可分为上升型、对称型。控制逆冲背斜区古暗河发育的主要因素有古地貌、地下水位、逆冲背斜构造和次级断裂网络等。

姿控推力室隔热框断裂故障分析及改进

针对某姿控动力系统推力室在力学环境试验过程中发生的隔热框断裂故障,对故障部位进行断口分析和结构强度分析,发现在高量级随机振动条件下隔热框支撑肋根部存在严重的应力集中,导致发生疲劳断裂。通过改进隔热框支撑肋结构,经强度分析和推力室力学环境试验验证,隔热框未再发生类似故障,表明改进措施方案可靠有效。

2023年甘肃积石山M_(S)6.2地震:一次逆冲为主的浅源强震

基于区域数字地震台网波形数据,在三维空间内利用波形拟合反演方法获得2023年12月18日甘肃积石山M_(S)6.2地震最佳震源机制解,结果表明:节面Ⅰ走向305°,倾角56°,滑动角61°;节面Ⅱ为走向169°,倾角43°,滑动角125°;矩震级M_(W)6.02。最佳拟合的空间精细位置为102.377°E,35.968°N,深度9 km。结果显示,地震破裂沿NW方向扩展。初步推断此次地震的发震断层面为节面Ⅱ,发震断层是拉脊山北缘断裂(积石山东缘断裂),是一次逆冲为主,兼少量走滑分量的浅源强震事件。

塔里木盆地东北缘吐格尔明背斜和阳北断裂带构造分析

吐格尔明背斜和阳北断裂位于塔里木盆地北缘,南天山山前库车褶皱冲断带的东段,两者均为基底卷入型构造。阳北断裂是一个反转构造,其变形历史可以追溯到侏罗纪—白垩纪的正断层;新生代构造反转,发生了多期冲断变形加速期,分别发生于白垩纪末—古近纪初、古近纪末—新近纪初、中新世早期、上新世和第四纪。吐格尔明背斜构造带是阳北断裂中新世早期及以后的冲断作用派生出来的一个次级基底卷入型构造变形带。它由吐格尔明背斜及其南、北两条呈背冲关系的逆冲断层组成。背斜核部元古宇变质岩出露地表;中、新生界直接不整合于变质岩之上,缺失全部古生界,说明研究区可能属于一个长期存在的古生代古隆起。

川东地区寒武系洗象池组构造特征及成藏模式

四川盆地东部上寒武统洗象池组是盆地内下组合油气勘探的重点领域。基于地层及沉积演化特征,利用地震、钻井岩心以及地球化学等资料,分析了川东地区上寒武统洗象池组构造特征及变形机制,从源、储、盖、运4个方面分析了其油气成藏条件,并总结了成藏模式。研究结果表明:(1)川东地区寒武系洗象池组表现为以2套滑脱变形带(中寒武统高台组膏盐岩和志留系泥岩)控制的、沿北西向传递的断褶构造,发育背冲构造、叠瓦状构造、断弯褶皱和盐底辟断弯褶皱4种构造圈闭样式;中寒武统高台组膏盐岩和中—下奥陶统泥灰岩2套盖层分别将下寒武统筇竹寺组、上奥陶统五峰组—下志留统龙马溪组2套烃源岩与洗象池组隔离。(2)研究区洗象池组具备油气成藏条件,五峰组—龙马溪组泥页岩是主要烃源岩,厚度为300~700 m,TOC值为2%~7%,生烃能力强,Ro为2.4%~4.0%,处于过成熟阶段;洗象池组沉积后期被岩溶和裂缝改造的滩相白云岩是相对优质的规模较大的储层,孔隙度大于2.1%;燕山期构造抬升和变形不仅在洗象池组形成了有效构造圈闭,还使其突破中—下奥陶统盖层与五峰组—龙马溪组对接,实现了油气的水平侧向运移。(3)研究区洗象池组为“新生古储、源储并置、侧向运移、构造圈闭”晚期天然气成藏模式;逆冲断层导致上盘褶皱的洗象池组与下盘五峰组—龙马溪组在水平面上并置,形成了源-储横向对接的构造圈闭,有效地提高了供烃和成藏的效率。

四川盆地南部泸州—云锦地区走滑断裂构造变形特征

以多重滑脱褶皱冲断构造为主要变形的泸州—云锦地区同样发育走滑断裂。逆冲构造和走滑断裂的分类、分期厘定对于重新认识泸州—云锦地区的断裂系统具有重要意义。以泸州—云锦地区的高精度三维地震数据、钻测井数据为基础,通过平面—剖面结合精细构造解析和井—震标定分析,获得如下认识:1)北东向、北西向、近南北向等不同走向、不同级别的逆断层和褶皱带叠加、复合变形,构成了泸州—云锦地区网状的多重滑脱冲断褶皱构造变形系统。2)区内主要发育4条走滑断裂带,断层对关键界面的改造呈现出微小伸展地堑的变形特征,在剖面上则主要表现出“Y”字形负花状构造的变形样式。其中,蜀南1号走滑断裂带近南北走向,在左旋剪切作用下形成;蜀南2号、3号走滑断裂带由多条次级断层带或小型正断层左阶斜列构成,形成于右旋剪切背景。蜀南1号、蜀南2号、蜀南3号走滑断裂带均形成于二叠系沉积前(相当于泥盆纪—石炭纪)。蜀南4号走滑断裂带则呈北东走向,主体沿着背斜带的脊部发育,在右旋剪切作用下发育,形成于二叠系沉积后(相当于早-中三叠世)。蜀南4号断裂带、蜀南3号断裂带的局部区段以及主体发育在二叠系—三叠系内的逆冲断层,对志留系、二叠系、三叠系的多套源储组合具有良好的沟通作用;同时,它们对断控缝洞型储集层的形成具有积极影响,利于二叠系栖霞组、茅二段、嘉陵江组等多层系的油气聚集成藏。

Miocene Tectonic Evolution from Dextral-Slip Thrusting to Extension in the Nyainqentanglha Region of the Tibetan Plateau

Dextral-slip in the Nyainqentanglha region of Tibet resulted in oblique underthrusting and granite generation in the Early to Middle Miocene, but by the end of the epoch uplift and extensional faulting dominated. The east-west dextral-slip Gangdise fault system merges eastward into the northeast-trending, southeast-dipping Nyainqentanglha thrust system that swings eastward farther north into the dextral-slip North Damxung shear zone and Jiali faults. These faults were took shape by the Early Miocene, and the large Nyainqentanglha granitic batholith formed along the thrust system in 18.3-11.0 Ma as the western block drove under the eastern one. The dextral-slip movement ended at -11 Ma and the batholith rose, as marked by gravitational shearing at 8.6-8.3 Ma, and a new fault system developed. Northwest-trending dextral-slip faults formed to the northwest of the raisen batholith, whereas the northeast-trending South Damxung thrust faults with some sinistral-slip formed to the southeast. The latter are replaced farther to the east by the west-northwest-trending Lhtinzhub thrust faults with dextral-slip. This relatively local uplift that left adjacent Eocene and Miocene deposits preserved was followed by a regional uplift and the initiation of a system of generally north-south grabens in the Late Miocene at -6.5 Ma. The regional uplift of the southern Tibetan Plateau thus appears to have occurred between 8.3 Ma and 6.5 Ma. The Gulu, DamxungYangbajain and Angan graben systems that pass east of the Nyainqentanglha Mountains are locally controlled by the earlier northeast-trending faults. These grabens dominate the subsequent tectonic movement and are still very active as northwest-trending dextral-slip faults northwest of the mountains. The Miocene is a time of great tectonic change that ushered in the modern tectonic regime.

Decomposition and Evolution of Intracontinental Strike-Slip Faults in Eastern Tibetan Plateau

Little attention had been paid to the intracontinental strike-slip faults of the Tibetan Plateau. Since the discovery of the Longriba fault using re-measured GPS data in 2003, an increasing amount of attention has been paid to this neglected fault. The local relief and transverse swath profile show that the Longriba fault is the boundary line that separates the high and flat tomography of the Tibet plateau from the high and precipitous tomography of Orogen. In addition, GPS data shows that the Longriba fault is the boundary line where the migratory direction of the Bayan Har block changed from eastward to southeastward. The GPS data shows that the Longriba fault is the boundary fault of the sub-blocks of the eastern Bayan Har block. We built three-dimensional models containing the Longriba fault and the middle segment of the Longmenshan fault, across the Bayan Har block and the Sichuan Basin. A nonlinear finite element method was used to simulate the fault behavior and the block deformation of the Eastern Tibetan Plateau. The results show that the low resistivity and low velocity layer acts as a detachment layer, which causes the overlying blocks to move southeastward. The detachment layer also controls the vertical and horizontal deformation of the rigid Bayan Har block and leads to accumulation strain on the edge of the layer where the Longmenshan thrust is located. After a sufficient amount of strain has been accumulated on the Longmenshan fault, a large earthquake occurs, such as the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. The strike slip activity of the Longriba fault, which is above the low resistivity and low velocity layer, partitions the lateral displacements of the Bayan Har block and adjusts the direction of motion of the Bayan Har block, from the eastward moving Ahba sub-block in the west to southeastward moving Longmenshan sub-block in the east. Four models with different depths to the Longriba fault were constructed： （1） a shallow fault with a depth of only 4 km, （2） a deeper fault that is half as deep as the Longmenshan fault, （3） a deep fault that is 2 km shallower than the low resistivity and low velocity layer, and （4） a fault that is as deep as the low resistivity and low velocity layer. The activity and influence of the Longriba fault with different development stage under this tectonic system were shown： in one Earthquake recurrence period, the rupture region of the fault increases with the depth of the fault, and the lateral slip partition by the fault also changes with the fault depth. It suggests that the Longriba fault is a newly generated fault that developed after the quick uplift in Late Cenozoic along this tectonic setting and gradually extended from the northwest to southeast. The calculations provide the characteristic of block deformation and fault behaviors of intra-continental strike-slip fault and major boundary thrust faults in the eastern margin of the Tibet plateau. Although the low resistivity and low velocity layer controls the deformation of the Bayan Hat block and the uplift of the Longmenshan thrust, the partition of the Longriba fault has an important influence on the intra-plate deformation and modern geomorphic evolution.