Construction of an Intraplate Fault System Model of South Australia, and Simulation Tool for the iSERVO Institute Seed Project

Abstract

To foster ongoing international cooperation beyond ACES (APEC Cooperation for Earthquake Simulation) on the simulation of solid earth phenomena, agreement was reached to work towards establishment of a frontier international research institute for simulating the solid earth: iSERVO = International Solid Earth Research Virtual Observatory institute (http://www.iservo.edu.au). This paper outlines a key Australian contribution towards the iSERVO institute seed project, this is the construction of: (1) a typical intraplate fault system model using practical fault system data of South Australia (i.e., SA interacting fault model), which includes data management and editing, geometrical modeling and mesh generation; and (2) a finite-element based software tool, which is built on our longterm and ongoing effort to develop the R-minimum strategy based finite-element computational algorithm and software tool for modelling three-dimensional nonlinear frictional contact behavior between multiple deformable bodies with the arbitrarily-shaped contact element strategy. A numerical simulation of the SA fault system is carried out using this software tool to demonstrate its capability and our efforts towards seeding the iSERVO Institute.

Fluid focusing and its link to vertical morphological zonation at the Dajishan vein-type tungsten deposit, South China

“…based software, has been developed to simulate highly coupled systems involving heterogeneously fractured geomaterials to address the key scientific and technological challenges in geo-science and -engineering at different spatial and temporal scales by using supercomputers (Xing, 2013;Xing et al 2010). PANDAS has been applied to simulate crustal dynamics, fault systems and enhanced reservoir systems across different scales for underground geoenergies (Xing 2013(Xing , 2014Xing and makinouchi 2002;Xing and Mora 2006;Xing et al 2007;Xing et al 2010). It is applied here to simulate the transient thermal-fluid flow process, and the governing equations are briefly listed below (Xing, 2014).…”

A feature extracting and meshing approach for sheet-like structures in rocks

“…Due to easy generation of regular mesh, most numerical simulations for volumetric rock images are based on finite difference method [1] and/or lattice Boltzmann method [2]. While finite element method has more advantages over the finite different method for the complicated structure analysis especially for those with faults/fractures and sheet-like structures [3,4]. However, the related unstructured mesh generation remains a quite challenging topic.…”

A finite element analysis of tidal deformation of the entire earth with a discontinuous outer layer

“…Some researchers have applied it to the analysis of the ground movement and earthquakes (e.g. Bird 1978; Golke et al 1996; Huang et al 1997; Bao & Bielak 1998; Cai et al 2000; Jimenez‐Munt et al 2001; Xing & Makinouchi 2002a; Xing et al 2004b, 2006; Xing & Mora 2006). Among them, Xing et al developed a robust and efficient finite element model capable of simulating the frictional behaviour of rocks and faulting, displacement/velocity and stress evolution of an interacting fault system in both the experimental and practical site scale (e.g.…”

“…Among them, Xing et al developed a robust and efficient finite element model capable of simulating the frictional behaviour of rocks and faulting, displacement/velocity and stress evolution of an interacting fault system in both the experimental and practical site scale (e.g. Xing & Makinouchi 2002a,b, 2003; Xing et al 2004b, 2006; Xing & Mora 2006). Thus, with the improvement of hardware and software, it becomes possible to calculate the tidal deformation of a discontinuous Earth.…”

“…The above model developed by Xing et al (e.g. Xing & Makinouchi 2002a,b, 2003; Xing et al 2004b, 2006; Xing & Mora 2006) is extended and applied here to the analysis of the tidal deformation of the entire Earth using the parallel supercomputing. This paper focuses on the investigation of the effect of discontinuous media (i.e.…”