Development characteristics and dynamic mechanisms of tectonic ground fissures in Weihe Basin, China

Abstract

The Weihe Basin is part of the regionally extensive Fenwei Graben System, which is a major tectonic block impacted by active tectonics and human activities. There are 200 tectonic ground fissures in the Weihe Basin, some of which have resulted in loss of life and severe damage to infrastructure. The development characteristics and dynamic mechanisms of these fissures were investigated by surveying, mapping, and geological drilling. The fissures are distributed along the boundary faults between fault blocks with prominent regional, zoning, and directional characteristics. On the profiles of fissures, the tectonic ground fissures are connected with underlying faults and possess the characteristics of synsedimentary faults. The deeper the stratum is, the greater the fault displacement of the stratum is, and the greater the thickness of the strata on the hanging walls is than that on the heading walls. These fissures are driven by dynamic tectonic processes, including uplift of the upper mantle and extension of the crust, differential movement of the fault blocks, and fault activity. The extension and opening of fissures are accelerated by hydrodynamic progresses, including pumping and raining. This paper describes a study of the mechanisms of the fissures and provides guidance for prevention of disasters and reduction of disaster severity in this area.

Triggering of Land Subsidence in and Surrounding the Hangjiahu Plain Based on Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar Monitoring

“…In China, nearly 100 cities, including those in the Yangtze River Delta [8][9][10], North China Plain [11,12], Fenwei Basin [13,14], and Pearl River Delta, are affected by land subsidence disasters [15,16], covering a total land subsidence area exceeding 79,000 km 2 [17]. Statistical analysis by Mehdi Bagheri-Gavkosh revealed that the eastern part of China's Yangtze River Delta registers among the regions with the highest average land subsidence values [18].…”

Characteristics and Formation Mechanism of Water-Eroded Ground Fissures in the Weihe Basin of China

“…Tectonic fissures are a geological hazard resulting from tectonic forces and are typically closely associated with fault activity [11]. Numerous publications from diverse countries and regions have addressed and investigated tectonic fissures that are controlled by faults [2,[11][12][13][14][15][16]. Tectonic fissures are often linked to endogenic geological processes, with crustal extension and differential block movement being crucial factors in their formation [13,16].…”

“…Numerous publications from diverse countries and regions have addressed and investigated tectonic fissures that are controlled by faults [2,[11][12][13][14][15][16]. Tectonic fissures are often linked to endogenic geological processes, with crustal extension and differential block movement being crucial factors in their formation [13,16]. This phenomenon is commonly observed in areas with high tectonic activity, such as rifts and basins.…”

“…Most of the structural fissures are connected to hidden underground faults and exhibit synsedimentary characteristics, as exemplified by the Fuping Tingzicun and Sanyuan Shuanghuaishu faults [19,20]. These ground fissures are the result of dynamic tectonic processes, including the uplifting of the upper mantle and extension of the crust, differential block movement, and fault activity [16]. The primary cause of the formation of fissures in the Wei River basin is due to tectonic faulting; however, human activities causing a human-land imbalance have accelerated the activity of these fissures [21].…”

Numerical Simulation Analysis of the Impact of Active Ground Fissures on Damage to Urban Overpasses

“…Although a lot of research has been conducted on ground fissures all over the world, the main focus has been on the development characteristics of ground fissures, the shear model of soil, causal mechanisms, and the influence of ground fissure activities on underground engineering structures [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]. Yan et al [28] focused on the failure mechanism and deformation characteristics of a utility tunnel based on the Kunming Road utility tunnel crossing f3 ground fissure by finite-difference numerical simulation.…”