• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.293-300
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• 2023

The Shape Preferred Orientation (SPO) method has been used to analyze the orientation of fault motion, which is utilized as basic data for fault kinematics studies. The rigid grains, which as quartz, feldspar, and rock fragments, in the fault gouge are arranged in the P-shear direction through rigid body rotation by a given shear stress. Using this characteristic, the fault motion can be estimated from the SPO inversely. Recently, a method for securing precision and reliability by measuring 3D-SPO using X-ray CT images and examining the shape of a large number of particles in a short time has been developed. As a result, the SPO method analyzes the orientation of thousands to tens of thousands of particles at high speed, suggests the direction of fault motion, and provides easy accessibility and reliable data. In addition, the shape information and orientation distribution data of particles, which are by-products obtained in the SPO analysis process, are expected to be used as basic data for conducting various studies such as the local deformation of fault rocks and the fault generation mechanism.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.61-75
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• 2000

Through modeling fault network using thin plate finite element technique in the San Andreas Fault system with slip rate over 1mm/year, as well as elevation, heat flow, earthquakes, geodetic data and crustal thickness, we compare the results with velocity boundary conditions of plate based on the NUVEL-1 plate model and the approximation of deformation in the Great Basin region. The frictional and dislocation creep constants of the crust are calculated to reproduce the observed variations in the maximum depth of seismicity which corresponds to the temperature ranging from $350^{\circ}C$ to $410^{\circ}C$. The rheologic constants are defined by the coefficient of friction on faults, and the apparent activation energy for creep in the lower crust. Two parameters above represent systematic variations in three experiments. The pattern of model indicates that the friction coefficient of major faults is 0.17~0.25. we test whether the weakness of faults is uniform or proportional to net slip. The geologic data show a good agreement when fault weakness is a trend of an additional 30% slip dependent weakening of the San Andreas. The results of study suggest that all weakening is slip dependent. The best models can be explained by the available data with RMS mismatch of as little as 3mm/year, so their predictions can be closely related with seismic hazard estimation, at least along faults where no data are available.