Shear localisation controls the dynamics of earthquakes
Abstract Earthquakes are produced by the propagation of rapid slip along tectonic faults. The propagation dynamics is governed by a balance between elastic stored energy in the surrounding rock, and dissipated energy at the propagating tip of the slipping patch. Energy dissipation is dictated by the...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55363-y |
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| _version_ | 1832594593158266880 |
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| author | Fabian Barras Nicolas Brantut |
| author_facet | Fabian Barras Nicolas Brantut |
| author_sort | Fabian Barras |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Earthquakes are produced by the propagation of rapid slip along tectonic faults. The propagation dynamics is governed by a balance between elastic stored energy in the surrounding rock, and dissipated energy at the propagating tip of the slipping patch. Energy dissipation is dictated by the mechanical behaviour of the fault, which is itself the result of feedbacks between thermo-hydro-mechanical processes acting at the mm to sub-mm scale. Here, we numerically simulate shear ruptures using a dual scale approach, allowing us to couple a sub-mm description of inner fault processes and km-scale elastodynamics, and show that the sudden localisation of shear strain within a shear zone leads to the emergence of classical cracks driven by a constant fracture energy. The fracture energy associated to strain localisation is substantially smaller than that predicted in theoretical and numerical models assuming uniform shearing within the shear zone. We show the existence of a unique scaling law between the localised shearing width and the rupture speed. Our results indicate that earthquakes are likely to be systematically associated to extreme strain localisation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fb45aaed48b54ce89e1920f5bb91f868 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-fb45aaed48b54ce89e1920f5bb91f8682025-01-19T12:31:26ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111210.1038/s41467-024-55363-yShear localisation controls the dynamics of earthquakesFabian Barras0Nicolas Brantut1The Njord Centre, Department of Physics, Department of Geosciences, University of OsloDepartment of Earth Sciences, University College LondonAbstract Earthquakes are produced by the propagation of rapid slip along tectonic faults. The propagation dynamics is governed by a balance between elastic stored energy in the surrounding rock, and dissipated energy at the propagating tip of the slipping patch. Energy dissipation is dictated by the mechanical behaviour of the fault, which is itself the result of feedbacks between thermo-hydro-mechanical processes acting at the mm to sub-mm scale. Here, we numerically simulate shear ruptures using a dual scale approach, allowing us to couple a sub-mm description of inner fault processes and km-scale elastodynamics, and show that the sudden localisation of shear strain within a shear zone leads to the emergence of classical cracks driven by a constant fracture energy. The fracture energy associated to strain localisation is substantially smaller than that predicted in theoretical and numerical models assuming uniform shearing within the shear zone. We show the existence of a unique scaling law between the localised shearing width and the rupture speed. Our results indicate that earthquakes are likely to be systematically associated to extreme strain localisation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55363-y |
| spellingShingle | Fabian Barras Nicolas Brantut Shear localisation controls the dynamics of earthquakes Nature Communications |
| title | Shear localisation controls the dynamics of earthquakes |
| title_full | Shear localisation controls the dynamics of earthquakes |
| title_fullStr | Shear localisation controls the dynamics of earthquakes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Shear localisation controls the dynamics of earthquakes |
| title_short | Shear localisation controls the dynamics of earthquakes |
| title_sort | shear localisation controls the dynamics of earthquakes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55363-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fabianbarras shearlocalisationcontrolsthedynamicsofearthquakes AT nicolasbrantut shearlocalisationcontrolsthedynamicsofearthquakes |