Numerical simulation of rupture propagation with thermal pressurization based on measured hydraulic properties :Importance of deformation zone width

Thermal expansion and pressurization of pore water may effectively reduce frictional resistance during slip at high strain rate for faults with impermeable clayey material in shallow depth (<5km). Width of deformation zone is an important parameter in this process because the distribution of excess pore pressure is roughly equal to the width of deformation zone for relatively impermeable faults and pore pressure at the center rises more rapidly for thinner cases. In this study, dynamic rupture propagation simulation with thermal pressurization based on measured hydraulic properties of active faults demonstrates the importance of width of deformation zone. In the case that hydraulic properties of Hanaore fault in Southwest Japan (relatively impermeable) is used, when 100m radius asperity is assumed in which initial shear stress is set as static frictional level (0.6) and dynamic frictional coefficient is assumed to be 0.4, rupture velocity is proved sensitive to the width of deformation zone when it is less than 20mm under condition of 3km depth. When deformation width is reduced to 5mm, rupture velocity in direction of mode 2 exceeds S-wave velocity. This study also shows the importance of hydraulic properties by comparing results of a relatively impermeable fault and a permeable fault at different depths.