Co-seismic Faults and Geological Hazards and Incidence of Active Fault of Wenchuan Ms 8.0 Earthquake,Sichuan,China

There are two co-seismic faults which developed when the Wenchuan earthquake happened. One occurred along the active fault zone in the central Longmen Mts. and the other in the front of Longmen Mts. The length of which is more than 270 kin and about 80 km respectively. The co-seismic fault shows a reverse flexure belt with strike of N45°-60°E in the ground, which caused uplift at its northwest side and subsidence at the southeast. The fault face dips to the northwest with a dip angle ranging from 50° to 60°. The vertical offset of the co-seismic fault ranges 2.5-3.0 m along the Yingxiu- Beichuan co-seismic fault, and 1.5-1.1 m along the Doujiangyan-Hanwang fault. Movement of the coseismic fault presents obvious segmented features along the active fault zone in central Longmen Mts. For instance, in the section from Yingxiu to Leigu town, thrust without evident slip occurred; while from Beichuan to Qingchuan, thrust and dextral strike-slip take place. Main movement along the front Longmen Mts. shows thrust without slip and segmented features. The area of earthquake intensity more than IX degree and the distribution of secondary geological hazards occurred along the hanging wall of co-seismic faults, and were consistent with the area of aftershock, and its width is less than 40km from co-seismic faults in the hanging wall. The secondary geological hazards, collapses, landslides, debris flows et al., concentrated in the hanging wall of co-seismic fault within 0-20 km from co-seismic fault.

Co-seismic fault geometry and slip distribution of the 26 December 2004, giant Sumatra–Andaman earthquake constrained by GPS, coral reef, and remote sensing data

We analyze co-seismic displacement field of the 26 December 2004, giant Sumatra–Andaman earthquake derived from Global Position System observations,geological vertical measurement of coral head, and pivot line observed through remote sensing. Using the co-seismic displacement field and AK135 spherical layered Earth model, we invert co-seismic slip distribution along the seismic fault. We also search the best fault geometry model to fit the observed data. Assuming that the dip angle linearly increases in downward direction, the postfit residual variation of the inversed geometry model with dip angles linearly changing along fault strike are plotted. The geometry model with local minimum misfits is the one with dip angle linearly increasing along strike from 4.3oin top southernmost patch to 4.5oin top northernmost path and dip angle linearly increased. By using the fault shape and geodetic co-seismic data, we estimate the slip distribution on the curved fault. Our result shows that the earthquake ruptured ＊200-km width down to a depth of about 60 km.0.5–12.5 m of thrust slip is resolved with the largest slip centered around the central section of the rupture zone78N–108N in latitude. The estimated seismic moment is8.2 9 1022 N m, which is larger than estimation from the centroid moment magnitude（4.0 9 1022 N m）, and smaller than estimation from normal-mode oscillation data modeling（1.0 9 1023 N m）.

Assessing current faulting behaviors and seismic risk of the Anninghe-Zemuhe fault zone from seismicity parameters

Using the data of regional seismic network, this paper analyzes the current faulting behaviors of different segments of the Anninghe-Zemuhe fault zone, western Sichuan, and identifies the likely risky segments for potential large earthquakes. The authors map the probable asperities from the abnormally low b-value distribution, develop and employ a method for identifying current faulting behaviors of individual fault segment from the combinations of multiple seismicity parameter values, and make an effort to estimate the average recurrence intervals of character-istic earthquakes by using the parameters of magnitude-frequency relationship of the asperity segment. The result suggests that the studied fault zone contains 5 segments of different current faulting behaviors. Among them, the Mianning-Xichang segment of the Anninghe fault has been locked under high stress, its central part is probably an asperity with a relatively large scale. The Xichang-Puge segment of the Zemuhe fault displays very low seismicity under low stress. Both the locked segment and the low-seismicity segment can be outlined on the across-profile of relocated hypocenter depths. The Mianning-Xichang segment is identified to be the one with potential large earth-quake risk, for which the average recurrence interval between the latest M = 6.7 earthquake in 1952 and the next characteristic event is estimated to be 55 to 67 years, and the magnitude of the potential earthquake between 7.0 and 7.5. Also, it has been preliminarily suggested that for a certain fault segment, its faulting behaviors may change and evolve with time gradually.

Assessing current faulting behaviors and seismic risk of the Anninghe-Zemuhe fault zone from seismicity parameters

Using the data of regional seismic network, this paper analyzes the current faulting behaviors of different segments of the Anninghe-Zemuhe fault zone, western Sichuan, and identifies the likely risky segments for potential large earthquakes. The authors map the probable asperities from the abnormally low b-value distribution, develop and employ a method for identifying current faulting behaviors of individual fault segment from the combinations of multiple seismicity parameter values, and make an effort to estimate the average recurrence intervals of character-istic earthquakes by using the parameters of magnitude-frequency relationship of the asperity segment. The result suggests that the studied fault zone contains 5 segments of different current faulting behaviors. Among them, the Mianning-Xichang segment of the Anninghe fault has been locked under high stress, its central part is probably an asperity with a relatively large scale. The Xichang-Puge segment of the Zemuhe fault displays very low seismicity under low stress. Both the locked segment and the low-seismicity segment can be outlined on the across-profile of relocated hypocenter depths. The Mianning-Xichang segment is identified to be the one with potential large earth-quake risk, for which the average recurrence interval between the latest M = 6.7 earthquake in 1952 and the next characteristic event is estimated to be 55 to 67 years, and the magnitude of the potential earthquake between 7.0 and 7.5. Also, it has been preliminarily suggested that for a certain fault segment, its faulting behaviors may change and evolve with time gradually.

A Seismic Design Method for Subsea Pipelines Against Earthquake Fault Movement

As there are no specific guidelines on design of subsea pipelines crossing active seismic faults, methods for land buried pipelines have been applied to. Taking the large seismic fault movement into account, this paper proposes improved methods for seismic designs of subsea pipelines by comprehensively investigating the real constraining of soil on the pipelines, the interaction processes of soil with the pipeline, the plastic slippage of the soil, and the elastic-plastic properties of the pipeline materials. New formulas are given to calculate the length of transition section and its total elongation. These formulas are more reasonable in mechanism, and more practical for seismic design of subsea pipelines crossing active faults.

Reduction of structural response to near fault earthquakes by seismic isolation columns and variable friction dampers

This paper focuses on the investigation of a hybrid seismic isolation system with passive variable friction dampers for protection of structures against near fault earthquakes. The seismic isolation can be implemented by replacing the conventional columns fixed to the foundations by seismic isolating ones. These columns allow horizontal displacement between the superstructure and the foundations and decouple the building from the damaging earthquake motion. As a result, the forces in the structural elements decrease and damage that may be caused to the building by the earthquake significantly decreases. However, this positive effect is achieved on account of displacements occurring in the isolating columns. These displacements become very large when the structure is subjected to a strong earthquake. In this case, impact may occur between the parts of the isolating column yielding their damage or collapse. In order to limit the displacements in the isolating columns, it is proposed to add variable friction dampers. A method for selecting the dampers＇ properties is proposed. It is carried out using an artificial ground motion record and optimal active control algorithm. Numerical simulation of a sevenstory structure shows that the proposed method allows efficient reduction in structural response and limits the displacements at the seismic isolating columns.

Characteristics of Late-Quaternary Activity and Seismic Risk of the Northeastern Section of the Longmenshan Fault Zone

Following the 2008 Wenchuan M8 earthquake,the seismic risk of the northeastern section of the Longmenshan fault zone and the adjacent Hanzhong basin has become an issue that receives much concern.It is facing,however,the problem of a lack of sufficient data because of little previous work in these regions.The northeastern section of the Longmenshan fault zone includes three major faults：the Qingchuan fault,Chaba-Lin＇ansi fault,and Liangshan south margin fault,with the Hanzhong basin at the northern end.This paper presents investigations of the geometry,motion nature,and activity ages of these three faults,and reveals that they are strike slip with normal faulting,with latest activity in the Late Pleistocene.It implies that this section of the Longmenshan fault zone has been in an extensional setting,probably associated with the influence of the Hanzhong basin.Through analysis of the tectonic relationship between the Longmenshan fault zone and the Hanzhong basin,this work verifies that the Qingchuan fault played an important role in the evolution of the Hanzhong basin,and further studies the evolution model of this basin.Finally,with consideration of the tectonic setting of the Longmenshan fault zone and the Hanzhong basin as well as seismicity of surrounding areas,this work suggests that this region has no tectonic conditions for great earthquakes and only potential strong events in the future.

Active Fault Exploration and Seismic Hazard Assessment in Fuzhou City

It has been proven by a number of earthquake case studies that an active fault-induced earthquake beneath a city can be devastating. It is an urgent issue for seismic hazard reduction to explore the distribution of active faults beneath the urban area and identify the seismic source and the risks underneath. As a pilot project of active fault exploration in China, the project, entitled “Active fault exploration and seismic hazard assessment in Fuzhou City", started in early 2001 and passed the check before acceptance of China Earthquake Administration in August 2004. The project was aimed to solve a series of scientific issues such as fault location, dating, movement nature, deep settings, seismic risk and hazard, preparedness of earthquake prevention and disaster reduction, and etc. by means of exploration and assessment of active faults by stages, i.e., the preliminary survey and identification of active faults in target area, the exploration of deep seismotectonic settings, the risk evaluation of active seismogenic faults, the construction of geographic information system of active faults, and so on. A lot of exploration methods were employed in the project such as the detection of absorbed mercury, free mercury and radon in soil, the geological radar, multi-channel DC electrical method, tsansient electromagnetic method, shallow seismic refraction and reflection, effect contrast of explored sources, and various sounding experiments, to establish the buried Quaternary standard section of the Fuzhou basin. By summing up, the above explorations and experiments have achieved the following results and conclusions: (1)The results of the synthetic pilot project of active fault exploration in Fuzhou City demonstrate that, on the basis of sufficient collection, sorting out and analysis of geological, geophysical and borehole data, the best method for active fault exploration (location) and seismic risk assessment (dating and characterizing) in urban area is the combination of various approaches, that is, the possible location of active fault determined by using geochemical exploration as a guide “scout", the shallow seismic sounding as the main tool, the electromagnetic method as a supplement, establishing the standard Quaternary profile or stratigraphic sequence from drilling and various geophysical parameters from borehole logs as methods to correct and verify the data above. And in addition, the method also includes the field surveys on fault exposures, trenching, paleoearthquake investigation, dating and comparison of lithology, strata sequence, absolute or relative ages of the cores on the two sides of buried faults. (2)The Fuzhou basin locates under the regional seismotectonic settings which have the potential of moderate earthquake. Comparatively, the region is less affected by the “Taiwan dynamic Antenna"; (3)The activity of the major faults in Fuzhou basin is weak in general. All the six identified target faults are not Holocene faults, among which the Bayi Reservoir-Shanggan fault and the Minhou-Nanyu fault are dormant at least since the mid Epipleistocene time, and the rest are dormant since the Epipleistocene time; (4)In terms of deep-seated structures beneath the basin, there is no evidence indicating the possible occurrence of the underneath strong destructive earthquakes. The adjacent Changle-Zhao’an fault zone is the potential seismic source which may possibly affect Fuzhou City; (5)There exists potential of moderate-strong earthquake on the major faults of the region, but the probability is low; (6)The seismic hazards are weak in the region and the surface earthquake fractures are not likely to occur; (7)The first geographic information system of active faults is developed with functions of information query and display, data management, analysis and processing, etc.

A DEEP SEISMIC REFLECTION PROFILE ACROSS ALTUN FAULT BELT

Altun fault is regarded as a large\|scale sinistral strike\|slip fault, it is composed of several faults with the different character, and there is a special geological structure in the fault belt, and they constitute the northwestern margin fault belt of the Qinghai\|Tibetan plateau. In order to investigate the deep crust structure in the Altun region, layers which Tarim lithosphere subducted beneath the Qinghai\|Tibetan plateau, the forward structure of the subduction plate and the scale of the plate subduction, a deep seismic reflection profile was designed. Data collection work of the deep seismic reflection profile across Altun fault was completed during 24/8/1999 to 25/9/1999. The profile locates in Qiemo county, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the southern end of the profile stretches into Altun Mountains, the northern end locates in the Tarim desert margin. The profile is nearly SN trending and crosses the main Altun fault. The profile totally is 145km long, time record is 30 seconds, the smallest explosive amount is 72～100kg, the biggest explosive amount reaches 200～300kg, the explosive distance is 800m, and detectors are laid at a 50m distance.

Dextral-Slip Thrust Faulting and Seismic Events of the Ms 8.0 Wenchuan Earthquake,Longmenshan Mountains,Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau

Dextral-slip thrust movement of the Songpan-Garze terrain over the Sichuan block caused the Ms 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake of May 12, 2008 and offset the Central Longmenshan Fault （CLF） along a distance of -250 km. Displacement along the CLF changes from Yingxiu to Qingchuan. The total oblique slip of up to 7.6 m in Yingxiu near the epicenter of the earthquake, decreases northeastward to 5.3 m, 6.6 m, 4.4 m, 2.5 m and 1.1 m in Hongkou, Beichuan, Pingtong, Nanba and Qingchuan, respectively. This offset apparently occurred during a sequence of four reported seismic events, EQ1-EQ4, which were identified by seismic inversion of the source mechanism. These events occurred in rapid succession as the fault break propagated northeastward during the earthquake. Variations in the plunge of slickensides along the CLF appear to match these events. The Mw 7.5 EQ1 event occurred during the first 0-10 s along the Yingxiu-Hongkou section of the CLF and is characterized by 1.7 m vertical slip and vertical slickensides. The Mw 8.0 EQ2 event, which occurred during the next 10-42 s along the Yingxiu-Yanziyan section of the CLF, is marked by major dextralslip with minor thrust and slickensides plunging 25°-35° southwestward. The Mw 7.5 EQ3 event occurred during the following 42-60 s and resulted in dextral-slip and slickensides plunging 10° southwestward in Beichuan and plunging 73° southwestward in Hongkou. The Mw 7.7 EQ4 event, which occurred during the final 60-95 s along the Beichuan-Qingchuan section of the CLF, is characterized by nearly equal values of dextral and vertical slips with slickensides plunging 45°-50° southwestward. These seismic events match and evidently controlled the concentrations of landslide dams caused by the Wenchuan earthquake in Longmenshan Mountains.

Seismic active faults in the northwestern Beijing by seismic tomography

Using the arrival times of 197 earthquakes well recorded by the Beijing Seismic Network and the China-Germany cooperative Yanqing Digital Seismic Array in the period from October of 2001 to December of 2005, we accurately relocate these earthquakes by the joint-inversion program for hypocentral position and 3-D velocity structure The distribution of hypocenters shows that there are two major seismic active belts in the northwestern Beijing. The first belt stretches from Qinghe, Wenquan to the NW direction and the second extends from Nankou, Changping to the ENE direction.

Late-Quaternary Slip Rate and Seismic Activity of the Xianshuihe Fault Zone in Southwest China

The Xianshuihe fault zone is a seismo-genetic fault zone of left-lateral slip in Southwest China. Since 1725, a total of 59 Ms ≥ 5.0 earthquakes have occurred along this fault zone, including 18 Ms 6.0–6.9 and eight Ms ≥ 7.0 earthquakes. The seismic risk of the Xianshuihe fault zone is a large and realistic threat to the western Sichuan economic corridor. Based on previous studies, we carried out field geological survey and remote sensing interpretation in the fault zone. In addition, geophysical surveys, trenching and age-dating were conducted in the key parts to better understand the geometry, spatial distribution and activity of the fault zone. We infer to divide the fault zone into two parts： the northwest part and the southeast part, with total eight segments. Their Late Quaternary slip rates vary in a range of 11.5 mm/a –（3±1） mm/a. The seismic activities of the Xianshuihe fault zone are frequent and strong, periodical, and reoccurred. Combining the spatial and temporal distribution of the historical earthquakes, the seismic hazard of the Xianshuihe fault zone has been predicted by using the relationship between magnitude and frequency of earthquakes caused by different fault segments. The prediction results show that the segment between Daofu and Qianning has a possibility of Ms ≥ 7.0 earthquakes, while the segment between Shimian and Luding is likely to have earthquakes of about Ms 7.0. It is suggested to establish a GPS or In SAR-based real-time monitoring network of surface displacement to cover the Xianshuihe fault zone, and an early warning system of earthquakes and post seismic geohazards to cover the major residential areas.

Fault activation and induced seismicity in geological carbon storage--Lessons learned from recent modeling studies

In the light of current concerns related to induced seismicity associated with geological carbon sequestration(GCS),this paper summarizes lessons learned from recent modeling studies on fault activation,induced seismicity,and potential for leakage associated with deep underground carbon dioxide(CO2) injection.Model simulations demonstrate that seismic events large enough to be felt by humans require brittle fault properties and continuous fault permeability allowing pressure to be distributed over a large fault patch to be ruptured at once.Heterogeneous fault properties,which are commonly encountered in faults intersecting multilayered shale/sandstone sequences,effectively reduce the likelihood of inducing felt seismicity and also effectively impede upward CO2leakage.A number of simulations show that even a sizable seismic event that could be felt may not be capable of opening a new flow path across the entire thickness of an overlying caprock and it is very unlikely to cross a system of multiple overlying caprock units.Site-specific model simulations of the In Salah CO2storage demonstration site showed that deep fractured zone responses and associated microseismicity occurred in the brittle fractured sandstone reservoir,but at a very substantial reservoir overpressure close to the magnitude of the least principal stress.We conclude by emphasizing the importance of site investigation to characterize rock properties and if at all possible to avoid brittle rock such as proximity of crystalline basement or sites in hard and brittle sedimentary sequences that are more prone to injection-induced seismicity and permanent damage.

Seismic Facies in a Deepwater Area of a Marine Faulted Basin:Deepwater Area of the Paleogene Lingshui Formation in the Qiongdongnan Basin

In recent years, deep water areas have become popular exploration fields because of their abundant hydrocarbon resource potential. There are only relatively poor planar seismic profiles and no wells for deepwater areas of the Lingshui Formation in the Qiongdongnan Basin. A lot of faults developed and strata are fragmented due to high temperatures and high pressure, and this has resulted in dim sequence boundaries. Based on seismic data of the deepwater area and well data of bordering shallow water areas, Lingshui Formation was divided into four third class sequences; namely SI, SII, SIII and SIV, and the three-dimensional isochronous stratigraphic framework of the Lingshui Formation in the studied area was shaped. Based mainly on seismic attributes such as amplitude, continuity, internal structure and external shape, six typical seismic facies were identified, including mat-shaped, filling, wedge-shaped, foreset, moundy-shaped and lenticular-shaped, and a seismic facies distribution map was subsequently drawn. With studies on wells of bordering shallow water areas, regional sedimentary characteristics, and isopach map as references, sedimentary planar distribution features were analyzed. The deepwater area of the Lingshui Formation has mainly developed littoral and shallow sea. Sandstone bodies of fan delta, braided river delta, slope fan, basin floor fan, and turbidite fan are at an interdigitate junction to marine hydrocarbon source rocks and thus are favorable prospecting targets.

Analytical investigations of seismic responses for reinforced concrete bridge columns subjected to strong near-fault ground motion

Strong near-fault ground motion, usually caused by the fault-rupture and characterized by a pulse-like velocity- wave form, often causes dramatic instantaneous seismic energy （Jadhav and Jangid 2006）. Some reinforced concrete （RC） bridge columns, even those built according to ductile design principles, were damaged in the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake. Thus, it is very important to evaluate the seismic response of a RC bridge column to improve its seismic design and prevent future damage. Nonlinear time history analysis using step-by-step integration is capable of tracing the dynamic response of a structure during the entire vibration period and is able to accommodate the pulsing wave form. However, the accuracy of the numerical results is very sensitive to the modeling of the nonlinear load-deformation relationship of the structural member. FEMA 273 and ATC-40 provide the modeling parameters for structural nonlinear analyses of RC beams and RC columns. They use three parameters to define the plastic rotation angles and a residual strength ratio to describe the nonlinear load- deformation relationship of an RC member. Structural nonlinear analyses are performed based on these parameters. This method provides a convenient way to obtain the nonlinear seismic responses of RC structures. However, the accuracy of the numerical solutions might be further improved. For this purpose, results from a previous study on modeling of the static pushover analyses for RC bridge columns （Sung et al. 2005） is adopted for the nonlinear time history analysis presented herein to evaluate the structural responses excited by a near-fault ground motion. To ensure the reliability of this approach, the numerical results were compared to experimental results. The results confirm that the proposed approach is valid.

Seismic activity and active faults in Huailai basin

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Eastern Kunlun Active Fault Zone and Its Seismic Activity

In addition to a brief description of the tectonic background and evolutionary history of the Eastern Kunlun active fault zone,this paper emphatically describes the spatial distribution,geometry,Quaternary movement,and strong earthquake activities of this fault zone.The fault zone is characterized by a long evolutionary history,deep seated tectonic background,and intense Quaternary,even Holocene,activities.It played an important role in the tectonic evolution of China,especially in the uplifting and formation of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.It is also a major pleistoseismic belt in western China.Based on modern strong earthquake records as well as the newly discovered evidence of multiple Holocene paleoearthquakes and their surface rupture zones along the entire fault zone,the spatial and temporal distribution pattern of strong earthquakes along the fauit zone is analyzed.Finally,the macroscopic epicenter location of the 1937 Huashixia earthquake with M=7.5 and the distribution and scope of its surface

Episodes and ages of seismic landslides along the Changma fault zone

It is well known that studies on palaeo-seismicity at present are generally accomplished byanalyzing the scale and episode of wedge-shaped seismic colluvial deposits along fault zones. Asan example,this paper has investigated the seismic landslides along the Changma fault zone, analyzed their modes of combination, intrinsic structural characteristics and ages,and thereby studied palaeo-seismic events on that fault zone.The Changma fault zone is an important active fault zone in the northwest of the Qilianmountains. It trends about west-northwest on the whole, and is composed of west-northwest,east-northeast-and n ort h-nort h west-ire nd in g fan its. It w as form ed in t h e Ca led onia n p eriod ofthe Palaeozoic era and had had obvious activities in all of the Hercynian, Yanshan and Himalayanperiods. DUring the Quaternary period, especially in the late Pleistocene, it has experiencedmany times of intense left-lateral strike-slip movements. The Changma Ms￣7. 5 earthquake occurred on December 25, 1932, and produced a series of seismic landslides and collapses alongpiedmont areas of the basement fault (Figure la).

Study of fault configuration related mysteries through multi seismic attribute analysis technique in Zamzama gas field area,southern Indus Basin,Pakistan

Seismic attribute analysis approach has been applied for the interpretation and identification of fault geometry of Zamzama Gas Field. Zamzama gas field area, which lies in the vicinity of Kirthar fold and thrust belt, Southern Indus Basin of Pakistan. The Zamzama fault and its related structure have been predicted by applying the Average Energy Attribute, Instantaneous Frequency Attribute, relative Acoustic Impedance Attribute and Chaotic Reflection Attribute on the seismic line GHPK98 A.34. The results have been confirmed by applying the spectral decomposition attribute on the same seismic line that reveal the geometric configuration of Zamzama structure. The fault is reverse and started from 0 s and ended at the depth of 2.5 s on the vertical seismic section. Hanging wall moves up along the fault plane under the action of eastward oriented stress, which formed a large northesouth oriented and eastward verging thrusted anticline.