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Study on Rock Type Effect of Fault Sliding Stability

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Abstract

The protolith of the hanging wall and footwall of a fault plays a crucial role in influencing the sliding stability of the fault, and different protoliths have different tendencies toward sliding instability. To investigate the influence of protoliths on fault sliding stability, simulated fault friction sliding tests were conducted on five types of rocks: fine sandstone, limestone, marble, basalt, and granite, under various loading conditions. The test results demonstrate that, under the same loading conditions, basalt and granite exhibit a greater inclination toward unstable sliding during fault simulation, primarily displaying regular stick–slip and regular inclusion chaotic stick–slip behaviors. On the other hand, fine sandstone, limestone, and marble are predominantly characterized by stable sliding behaviors. The order of sensitivity for the influencing factors on sliding mode is the type of protolith, followed by initial normal stress, and then displacement loading rate. Based on the type of protolith and loading conditions (initial normal stress and displacement loading rate), the sliding mode can change during the sliding process of the simulated rock faults, transitioning from stable sliding to chaotic stick–slip, and then to regular stick–slip. Alternatively, the sliding mode can shift from regular inclusion chaotic stick–slip to regular stick–slip, or from regular stick–slip to stable sliding. Finally, the complexity of sliding patterns in different types of protoliths is analyzed from the perspectives of mineral composition and microstructure, elucidating the underlying mechanisms behind three sliding patterns: stable sliding, chaotic stick–slip, and regular stick–slip. Furthermore, the degree to which different types of rocks tend toward stick–slip behavior can be ranked as follows: rock mineral composition, mineral particle size, and structure among rock minerals. These research findings contribute to a deeper understanding of fault sliding behavior.

Highlights

  • Experimental studies have shed light on the influence of protolith type on the stability of fault sliding, revealing that different rock types exhibit a preference for stick–slip behavior in the following descending order: rock mineral composition, mineral grain size, and structure among rock minerals.

  • Further investigations have identified that basalt and granite tend to display unstable sliding, whereas fine sandstone, limestone, and marble are predominantly characterized by stable sliding. Intriguingly, a novel fault sliding mode named regular inclusion chaotic stick–slip has been uncovered.

  • By delving into the mineral composition and microstructure, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying causes for the intricate variations in sliding modes across different protolith types has been attained.

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Funding

This work is supported by the Key projects of the Yalong River Joint Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. U1865203), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52279116), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52109142) and Supported by Open Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. Z020007).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China

    Chuanqing Zhang, Luosong Zhang, Zhigang Tao, Zhi Fang & Qiming Xie

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Chuanqing Zhang, Luosong Zhang, Zhi Fang & Qiming Xie

  3. School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology (Beijing), Beijing, 100083, China

    Zhigang Tao

  4. College of Engineering, Eastern Institute for Advanced Study, Ningbo, 315201, China

    Guojian Cui

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  1. Chuanqing Zhang
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  2. Luosong Zhang
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Zhang, C., Zhang, L., Tao, Z. et al. Study on Rock Type Effect of Fault Sliding Stability. Rock Mech Rock Eng 57, 1915–1938 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-023-03646-z

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