Frictional heating on faults: Stable sliding versus stick slip

Brown, Stephen R.

doi:10.1029/98jb00200

Cited by 27 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Our study shows that temperature increases systematically as a function of both normal stress and sliding velocity, as observed previously in granular layers at lower normal stress conditions (LOCKNER and OKUBO, 1983) and on bare granite surfaces (BLANPIED et al, 1998;BROWN, 1998). We verify that the heat production equation holds for all tests.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 68%

“…This explains why the rapid increase in temperature associated with the faster (shaded) velocity reaches the sensor during the subsequent low velocity (unshaded) part. The rate of temperature rise (the slope of the perturbations) systematically increases with normal stress, consistent with results from bare surface experiments (BROWN, 1998). At any specific shear displacement, the temperature rise observed is systematically larger at higher normal stress.…”

Section: Temperature Measurements: Velocity Stepping Testssupporting

confidence: 76%

“…However, previous experimental work (e.g., BLANPIED et al, 1998;BROWN, 1998) has mainly concentrated on the shearing of bare surfaces with no gouge. There are very few direct observations of shear heating in granular layers (LOCK-NER and OKUBO, 1983), hence this topic clearly warrants further investigation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Even below the melting point, temperature may affect the stability and velocity dependence of friction (e.g., STESKY, 1978;LOCKNER et al, 1986;BLANPIED et al, 1995). YOSHIOKA (1985YOSHIOKA ( , 1986 and BROWN (1998) showed that unstable stick-slip sliding on simulated faults generates less heat than stable sliding, suggesting that different mechanisms may operate in each regime.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Shear Heating in Granular Layers

Mair¹,

Marone²

2000

Pure appl. geophys.

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Abstract-Heat-flow measurements imply that the San Andreas Fault operates at lower shear stresses than generally predicted from laboratory friction data. This suggests that a dramatic weakening effect or reduced heat production occur during dynamic slip. Numerical studies intimate that grain rolling or localization may cause weakening or reduced heating, however laboratory evidence for these effects are sparse. We directly measure frictional resistance (v), shear heating and microstructural evolution with accumulated strain in layers of quartz powder sheared at a range of effective stresses (| n =5-70 MPa) and sliding velocities (V= 0.01-10 mm/s). Tests conducted at | n ]25 MPa show strong evidence for shear localization due to intense grain fracture. In contrast, tests conducted at low effective stress (| n = 5 MPa) show no preferential fabric development and minimal grain fracture hence we conclude that non-destructive processes such as grain rolling/sliding, distributed throughout the layer, dominate deformation. Temperature measured close to the fault increases systematically with | n and V, consistent with a one-dimensional heat-flow solution for frictional heating in a finite width layer. Mechanical results indicate stable sliding (v 0.6) for all tests, irrespective of deformation regime, and show no evidence for reduced frictional resistance at rapid slip or high effective stresses. Our measurements verify that the heat production equation (q = v| n V) holds regardless of localization state or fracture regime. Thus, for quasistatic velocities (V 510 mm/s) and effective stresses relevant to earthquake rupture, neither grain rolling/sliding or shear localization appear to be a viable mechanism for the dramatic weakening or reduced heating required to explain the heat flow paradox.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 68%

Section: Temperature Measurements: Velocity Stepping Testssupporting

confidence: 76%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Shear Heating in Granular Layers

Mair¹,

Marone²

2000

Pure appl. geophys.

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“…In this article we report the results of a series of laboratory experiments that looked in greater detail than did previous studies at the relationship between normal stresses and stickslip frictional sliding. These experiments were based on previous studies that had indicated that fault-normal stress reduction and reduced heat generation accompanied stick slip on a pre-cut fault in a polycarbonate sample [Brown et al, 1991;Brown, 1994a;1998] …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Laboratory observations of fault‐normal vibrations during stick slip

Bodin¹,

Brown²,

Matheson³

1998

J. Geophys. Res.

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Abstract. We report laboratory observations of interface separation waves during stick slip on a fault in a uniform polymer material. Our observations, made at stress levels expected at midcrustal depths, share many macroscopic properties with ruptures of faults in rocks. We observed a drop in fault-normal stress shortly before the onset of, and during, stick slip at points along the fault during a rupture. We suggest that P wave energy in front of the propagating rupture tip is responsible for the drop in normal stress. We also interpret that stick slip took place within a traveling slip pulse, and we suggest that the dynamic stress drop within the slipping patch exceeded the overall static stress drop by a factor of at least 5 within a few millimeters of the fault. Our experiments did not resolve whether the fault surfaces actually separate or if fault-normal stress is just greatly reduced. In either case the net result is that fault slip is permitted to take place with much less frictional resistance than that expected from the applied load. Our observations provide laboratory evidence that faultnormal vibrations may play an important role in sustaining a rupture by facilitating the propagation of a transient instability. Faults may appear weak in part because they are dynamically weakened as they slip during rupture while retaining their strength during the interseismic period.

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New physics of supersonic ruptures

Tarasov

2023

Deep Underground Science and Engineering

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Until recently, it is believed that the rupture speed above the pressure wave is impossible since spontaneously propagating ruptures are driven by the energy released due to the rupture motion, which is transferred through the medium to the rupture tip region at the maximum speed equal to the pressure wave speed. However, the apparent violation of classic theories has been revealed by new experimental results demonstrating supersonic shear ruptures. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the recently discovered shear rupture mechanism (fan hinged), which suggests a new physics of energy supply to the tip of supersonic ruptures. The key element of this mechanism is the fan‐shaped structure of the head of extreme ruptures, which is formed as a result of an intense tensile cracking process with the creation of intercrack slabs that act as hinges between the shearing rupture faces. The fan structure is featured with the following extraordinary properties: extremely low friction approaching zero; amplification of shear stresses above the material strength at low applied shear stresses; creation of a self‐disbalancing stress state causing a spontaneous rupture growth; abnormally high energy release; generation of driving energy directly at the rupture tip which excludes the need to transfer energy through the medium. The fan mechanism operates in intact rocks at stress conditions corresponding to seismogenic depths and in pre‐existing extremely smooth interfaces due to identical tensile cracking processes at these conditions. This is Paper 1 (of two companion papers) which discusses the fan theory and extreme ruptures in experiments on extremely smooth interfaces. Paper 2 entitled “Fan‐hinged shear instead of frictional stick‐slip as the main and most dangerous mechanism of natural, induced and volcanic earthquakes in the earth's crust” considers extreme ruptures in intact rocks. Further study of this subject is a major challenge for deep underground science, earthquake and fracture mechanics, physics, and tribology.

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Frictional heating on faults: Stable sliding versus stick slip

Cited by 27 publications

References 25 publications

Shear Heating in Granular Layers

Shear Heating in Granular Layers

Laboratory observations of fault‐normal vibrations during stick slip

New physics of supersonic ruptures

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