Delayed and fractional-order dynamics of a model for earthquake induced by stress perturbations

Abstract

Fractional calculus and time delay provide a powerful tool to model complex systems with memory, fractal systems and viscoelastic systems. Earthquakes are both complex systems with long-memory and some of their faults have fractal properties and, the rocks constituting faults have viscoelastic behavior. In this paper, we examined the dynamics of the spring-block considering the fractional viscous damping force and interaction between the blocks. The shear stress response is studied using the harmonic balance method and the numerical simulations are performed through Adams-Bashforth-Moulton scheme. The effects of the fractional-order and time delay on the amplitude-frequency curves and on the transition between steady state and seismic regime are investigated. The system response shows the existence of the resonance and anti-resonance. It appears that the resonance amplitude and resonance frequency are strongly dependent on the time delay and fractional-order. This resonance phenomenon results in an accumulation of energy which can lead to the destabilization of the fault system. At the anti-resonance the system response has minimum amplitude, and the blocks move without accumulated energy. The results show that the delay and fractional viscous can affect the properties of the rock, which is characterized by the modified linear stiffness coefficient, modified linear damping coefficient and the modified linear friction coefficient. The stability and hopf bifurcation are investigated and the critical value of the time delay for the occurrence of Hopf bifurcation is determined. The transition from stationary state to the periodic orbit and vice-versa through the hopf bifurcation is observed in the system.