Micro-textures of Deformed Gouges by Friction Experiments of Mont Terri Main Fault, Switzerland
Abstract
Friction experiment was conducted on samples from the Main Fault of Mont Terri Rock Laboratory, Switzerland and then micro-textures of deformed gouges were observed using a scanning electron microscope JCM-6000 and JXA-8530F. Samples were taken at the depths of 47.2m and 37.3m of borehole BSF-1, and at 36.7m, 37.1m, 41.4m and 44.6m of borehole BSF-2, which were drilled from the drift floor at 260m depth from the surface. Friction experiment was conducted on above 6 samples using a rotary shear low to high-velocity friction apparatus at the Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration in Beijing at a normal stress of 3.95 to 4.0 MPa and at slip rates ranging 0.2 microns/s to 2.1mm/s. Cylindrical specimens of Ti-Al-V alloy, exhibiting similar behaviors as the host rock specimen, were used as rotary and stationary pistons of 40 mm diameter. A Teflon sleeve was used around the piston to confine the sample during the test. Main results are summarized as follows. 1) Mud rocks in Mont Terri drill holes (BFS-1, BFS-2) had steady-state or nearly steady-state friction coefficient μss in the range of 0.1 0.3 for wet gouges and 0. 5 0.7 for dry gouges. Friction coefficients of dry gouges were approximately twice as large as those of wet gouges. However, the fault rock (37.3 m, BFS-1) with scaly fabric showed no difference between wet and dry conditions : μss (wet): 0.50 0.77, μss (dry): 0.45 0.78. This is probably because the clay contents of this rock is less ( 33 %) than those in other rocks (67 73 %) (Shimamoto, 2017). 2) Deformed gouges are characterized by well-developed slip zones adjacent to the rotary and stationary pistons, accompanied by slickenside surfaces with clear striations. Such slickenside surfaces are similar to those developed in the drill core samples used in our experiments. 3) Multiple slip zones were observed in the 37.3m of BFS-1 and the 36.7m of BFS-2 samples under dry condition, suggesting that a slip occurred in the interior of the gouge. Reference: Shimamoto, T. (2017); Frictional Properties of Mont Terri Claystones from Fault Slip Test Sites at Low to Intermediate Slip Rates, Report to JAEA, May 10, 2017, p.101
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017AGUFMMR33B0454A
- Keywords:
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- 5199 General or miscellaneous;
- PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ROCKS;
- 8012 High strain deformation zones;
- STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY;
- 8118 Dynamics and mechanics of faulting;
- TECTONOPHYSICS;
- 8163 Rheology and friction of fault zones;
- TECTONOPHYSICS