Showing papers by "Richard H. Sibson published in 1985"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors considered the problem of normal faults whose normal lies in the σ1′σ3′ plane of a stress field with effective principal compressive stresses σ 1′ >σ 2′ > σ 3′ for the simplest frictional failure criterion, τ = μσn′ = μ(σn − P), where τ and σn are respectively the shear and normal stresses to the existing fault, P is fluid pressure and μ is the static friction.
687 citations
TL;DR: This article showed that rapid opening of linking extensional fracture systems to allow passage of earthquake ruptures through dilational fault jogs in fluid-saturated crusts is opposed by transient suctional forces induced near the rupture tips.
Abstract: Palaeoseismic studies over the past several years have indicated that segments of certain major faults tend to rupture at fairly regular intervals in characteristic earthquakes of about the same size1. This implies the presence of local structural controls which govern the nucleation and stopping of ruptures. Understanding rupture arrest is important, not only because it governs the size of characteristic earthquakes, but also because deceleration of ruptures results in the radiation of high-frequency energy leading to strong ground motion2. I show here that rapid opening of linking extensional fracture systems to allow passage of earthquake ruptures through dilational fault jogs in fluid-saturated crusts is opposed by transient suctional forces induced near the rupture tips3. Rupture arrest may then be followed by delayed slip transfer as fluid pressures re-equilibrate by diffusion.
325 citations