Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1178
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1178
02 Nov 2022
 | 02 Nov 2022

Time-dependent Frictional Properties of Granular Materials Used In Analogue Modelling: Implications for mimicking fault healing during reactivation and inversion

Michael Rudolf, Matthias Rosenau, and Onno Oncken

Abstract. Analogue models are commonly used to model long-term geological processes such as mountain building or basin inversion. The majority of these models use granular materials like sand or glass beads to simulate the brittle behaviour of the crust. In granular materials deformation is localized into shear bands that act as analogues to natural fault zones and detachments. Shear bands aka faults are persistent anomalies in the granular package and are frequently reactivated during an experimental run. This is due to their lower strength in comparison to the undeformed bulk material. When fault motion stops, time dependent healing immediately starts to increase the strength of the fault. Therefore, older faults show a higher strength in comparison to younger faults. This time dependent healing, also called time consolidation, can therefore affect the structural style of an analogue model due to evolution of fault strength over time. Time consolidation is a well known mechanism in granular mechanics but remains poorly characterized for analogue materials and on the timescales of typical analogue models. In this study, we estimate the healing rate of several analogue materials and evaluate the consequences on the reactivation potential of analogue faults. We find that the healing rates are generally below 3 % per tenfold increase in hold time which is comparable to natural fault zones. We qualitatively compare the frictional properties of the materials with grain characteristics and find a weak correlation of healing rates with sphericity and friction with an average quality score. In models where predefined faults exist or reactivation is forced by blocks, the stability region of fault angles that can be reactivated can accordingly decrease by up to 7° over the duration of 12 hours. The stress required to reactivate a preexisting fault can double in the same time which may favor the creation of new faults. In a basin inversion scenario, normal faults can not be inverted due to severe misorientation and therefore time consolidation plays only a minor additional role for such models.

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

10 Mar 2023
Time-dependent frictional properties of granular materials used in analogue modelling: implications for mimicking fault healing during reactivation and inversion
Michael Rudolf, Matthias Rosenau, and Onno Oncken
Solid Earth, 14, 311–331, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-14-311-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/se-14-311-2023, 2023
Short summary

Michael Rudolf et al.

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1178', Hanna Elston, 23 Dec 2022
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Michael Rudolf, 30 Jan 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1178', Anonymous Referee #2, 17 Jan 2023
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Michael Rudolf, 30 Jan 2023

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1178', Hanna Elston, 23 Dec 2022
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Michael Rudolf, 30 Jan 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2022-1178', Anonymous Referee #2, 17 Jan 2023
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Michael Rudolf, 30 Jan 2023

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Michael Rudolf on behalf of the Authors (30 Jan 2023)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (01 Feb 2023) by Federico Rossetti
ED: Publish as is (01 Feb 2023) by Federico Rossetti (Executive editor)
AR by Michael Rudolf on behalf of the Authors (02 Feb 2023)  Author's response   Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

10 Mar 2023
Time-dependent frictional properties of granular materials used in analogue modelling: implications for mimicking fault healing during reactivation and inversion
Michael Rudolf, Matthias Rosenau, and Onno Oncken
Solid Earth, 14, 311–331, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-14-311-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/se-14-311-2023, 2023
Short summary

Michael Rudolf et al.

Michael Rudolf et al.

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Short summary
Analogue models of tectonic processes rely on the reproduction of their geometry, kinematics and dynamics. An important property is fault behaviour which is linked to the frictional characteristics of the fault gouge. This is represented by granular materials, such as quartz sand. In our study we investigate the time-dependent frictional properties of various analogue materials and highlight their impact on the suitability of these materials for analogue models focusing on fault reactivation.