Recovered core samples from the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD), located near Parkfield, CA, offer a unique opportunity to study the products of faulting and to learn about the mechanisms of slip at 3 km depth. Casing deformation reflects active creep along two strands of the San Andreas Fault (SAF) at SAFOD. The two fault strands are referred to as the Southwest Deforming Zone (SDZ) at 3194 m measured depth (MD) and the Central Deforming Zone (CDZ) at 3301 m MD. The SDZ and CDZ contain remarkably similar gouge layers, both of which consist of a clay-bearing, ultrafine grain matrix containing survivor clasts of sandstone and serpentinite. The two gouges have sharp boundary contacts with the adjacent rocks. We have used X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) imaging, at two different sampling resolutions, to investigate the mesoscale and microscale structure of the fault zone, specifically to characterize the shape, preferred orientation, and size distribution of the survivor clasts. Using various image processing techniques, survivor clast shape and size are characterized in 3D by best-fit ellipsoids. Renderings of survivor clasts illustrate that survivor clasts have fine tips reminiscent of sigma type tails of porphyroclasts observed in myolonites. The resolution of the XCT imaging permits characterization of survivor clasts with equivalent spherical diameters greater than 0.63 mm. The survivor clast population in both the SDZ and CDZ gouge layers have similar particle size distributions (PSD) which fit a power law with a slope of approximately -3; aspect ratio (major to minor axis ratios) distributions also are similar throughout ranging between 1.5 and 4, with the majority occurring between 2-2.5. The volume- and shape- distributions vary little with position across the gouge zones. A strong shape preferred orientation (SPO) exists in both creeping zones. In both the SDZ and CDZ the minor axes form a SPO approximately normal to the plane of the San Andreas Fault (SAF), and the major axes define a lineation in the plane of the SAF. The observation that the size-, shape- and orientation-distributions of mesoscale, matrix-supported clasts are similar in the SDZ and CDZ gouge layers, and vary little with position in each gouge layer, is consistent with the hypothesis that aseismic creep in the SDZ and CDZ is achieved by distributed, shearing. The consistency between the SPO and simple-shear, strike-slip kinematics, and the marked difference of PSD, fabric, cohesion and clast lithology of the gouge with that of the adjacent rock, is consistent with the hypothesis that the vast majority of the shear displacement on the SAF at SAFOD is accommodated within the gouge layers and the gouge displays a mature, nearly steady-state structure.

Mieux appréhender la relation entre fluides, sismicité et déformation asismique est crucial en terme de risques et de ressources. Dans les zones d'injections de fluide une augmentation du taux de sismicité est observée, certains événements dépassant Mw=5. Quel est alors le rôle des fluides dans le déclenchement et le contrôle de la sismicité ? Une série d'injections de fluide à haute-pression a été réalisée dans les séries carbonatées du LSBB (Rustrel), dans la zone endommagée d'une faille inactive à 280 m de profondeur. Ces expériences in-situ ont permis l'étude des réponses sismiques et hydromécaniques (enregistrées par un large réseau de capteurs) de différentes structures géologiques à une stimulation hydraulique. Seuls certains tests ont été impactés par des séismes bien qu'une rupture ait été mesurée au point d'injection par un extensomètre. 215 séismes ont été détectés et se caractérisent par un contenu haute-fréquence (0.6 à 3 kHz) et de faible magnitude (-4.1 à -3.1). Leur localisation absolue et relative (précision de 1.5 m) a mis en évidence un manque de séismes à proximité du puits d'injection. En comparant le moment sismique cumulé et un moment équivalent de déformation, plus de 96 % de la déformation est asismique. Deux comportements sismiques distincts ont montré qu'au moins une partie de la sismicité était contrôlée par un transfert de contraintes. L'interprétation jointe des données géologiques, mécaniques, hydrogéologiques et sismiques a permis de reconstruire le mouvement des blocs de roches au point d'injection. Ainsi, la stimulation hydraulique de faille génèrerait un mouvement asismique, qui par transfert de contrainte, déclencherait la sismicité. / Better understanding how fluids pressure produce seismic or aseismic motion along faults is an important goal for seismic hazard assessment and for geological reservoir monitoring. Seismicity rate increase in fluid injection areas where some events may reach magnitude greater than 5. How fluids may induce and control seismicity? High-pressure fluid injections were performed in limestones, in the damaged zone of an inactive fault at 280m depth. These in-situ experiments allow to study the seismological and hydromechanical responses (recorded by 31 sensors) of different fracture types to a fluid perturbation. Only a few tests have generated seismicity even if ruptures are observed with a displacement sensor at the injection point. 215 earthquakes were detected and are characterized by high frequency content (0.6 to 3 KHz) and weak magnitude (-4.1 to -3.1). The relative and absolute locations (1.5m accuracy) indicate a lack of events in the vicinity of injection borehole. Comparing cumulated seismic moment with an equivalent deformation moment, more than 96% of the deformation is aseismic. Two distinct seismic behavior show that at least one part of the seismicity might be controlled by a stress transfer in the medium. Moreover, the joined interpretation geological, mechanical, hydrogeological and seismic data allow to build bloc motions at the injection point. Finally, our experiments showed that fluid injection mainly drives aseismic motion and the seismicity might be only an indirect effect related to stress transferred from the volume deformed by fluid pressurization.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第22757号 / 工博第4756号 / 新制||工||1744(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科都市社会工学専攻 / (主査)教授 五十嵐 晃, 教授 高橋 良和, 准教授 古川 愛子 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM

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The theoretical and experimental investigations presented in this thesis are primarily related to the dynamic response of inelastic multi-storey building frames subjected to strong ground motions. The main purpose is to investigate, both analytically and experimentally, those aspects of the dynamic response characteristics which are of importance in aseismic design. In the first part of the thesis, the various parameters pertaining to the structural system are varied in a systematic manner and an assessment is made of the influence of this variation on the maximum response characteristics of the dynamic system. The second part of the thesis consists of an experimental investigation into the inelastic dynamic response of multi-storey frames. The comparison of experimentally obtained inelastic response and that predicted theoretically indicated a good agreement between the two. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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