Interacting faults in a meso-scale hybrid thrust sequence

New Particle‐Wise Finite Element Strain Analysis for Discrete Displacement of Fold‐And‐Thrust Belt and Horst‐And‐Graben Models

“…The deformed surfaces of orogenic belts and continental basins are irregular because of the dynamic movements caused by surface processes (Dal Zilio et al., 2020; Hardy & Cardozo, 2021; Nabavi & Ruh, 2023; Ruh, 2020; Ruh et al., 2018) such as sediment transportation, erosion, and sedimentation. At stress‐free interfaces, undulations naturally occur where there are significant contrasts in density and strength between solid earth materials (e.g., rock and soil) and fluid (e.g., air and water) (Kramer et al., 2012).…”

“…This can be achieved by calculating the Green strain tensor, which indicates the deformation intensity in the horizontal, vertical, and shear directions. Analyzing strain distribution allows us to distinguish areas under high stress and failure potential and visualize fault development by identifying strain localization zones (Alsop et al., 2018; Nabavi & Ruh, 2023). Therefore, the ability to detect and track microfracture evolution using strain analysis provides key insights into the mechanical behavior of geological structures.…”

“…Many numerical models can be used to quantify the mechanical responses of all the evolutional processes of geological structures by deriving strain‐rate and stress tensors. Previous continuum based numerical modeling (e.g., finite element and difference methods) studies have attempted to handle the irregular free surface evolution and the strain heterogeneity near the faults associated with brittle and plastic deformation (Buiter et al., 2016; Dean et al., 2013; Li et al., 2021; Nabavi & Ruh, 2023; Yang et al., 2017). In continuum models, abrupt brittle deformation at near‐surfaces may cause numerical instabilities due to mesh distortion and the strength contrasts between air and sediment.…”

Hybrid thrust sequences – A new structural perspective

“…Hybrid thrust sequences discussed in this study may be influenced by several parameters such as presence of detachments and their frictional properties, critical-wedge effects, and surface processes in various structural settings. The modelling results and the natural example (Section 4.6) presented in this paper can provide templates for understanding the geometry, kinematics and chronology of thrust sequences from the meso- (Nabavi and Alavi, 2021) to the regional-scale. Furthermore, thrust sequences may form fold-fault interactions with repetition of reservoir strata to yield large hydrocarbon traps, which has significant effects on the deformational history and thermal maturation of hydrocarbons and charge pathways for these traps.…”