dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaNormal-fault stress and displacement through finite-element analysis
| Authors | Antonietta Megna, Salvatore Barba, Stefano Santini |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0510159 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0510159 |
Abstract
We compute displacement and stress due to a normal fault by means of two-dimensional plane-strain finite-element analysis. To do so, we apply a system of forces to the fault nodes and develop an iterative algorithm serving to determine the force magnitudes for any slip distribution. As a sample case, we compute the force magnitudes assuming uniform slip on a 10-km two-dimensional normal fault. The numerical model generates displacement and stress fields that compare well to the analytical solution. In fact, we find little difference in displacements (<5%), displacement orientation (<15 DEG), and stress components (<35%, half of which due to slip tolerance). We analyze such misfit, and discuss how the error propagates from displacement to stress. Our scheme provides a convenient way to use the finite-elements direct method in a trial-and-error procedure to reproduce any smooth slip distribution.
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"date_created": "2026-03-02T18:01:04.219000Z",
"date_modified": "2026-03-02T18:01:04.219000Z",
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"abstract": "We compute displacement and stress due to a normal fault by means of\ntwo-dimensional plane-strain finite-element analysis. To do so, we apply a\nsystem of forces to the fault nodes and develop an iterative algorithm serving\nto determine the force magnitudes for any slip distribution. As a sample case,\nwe compute the force magnitudes assuming uniform slip on a 10-km\ntwo-dimensional normal fault. The numerical model generates displacement and\nstress fields that compare well to the analytical solution. In fact, we find\nlittle difference in displacements (\u003c5%), displacement orientation (\u003c15 DEG),\nand stress components (\u003c35%, half of which due to slip tolerance). We analyze\nsuch misfit, and discuss how the error propagates from displacement to stress.\nOur scheme provides a convenient way to use the finite-elements direct method\nin a trial-and-error procedure to reproduce any smooth slip distribution.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0510159",
"authors": [
"Antonietta Megna",
"Salvatore Barba",
"Stefano Santini"
],
"categories": [
"physics.geo-ph",
"physics.comp-ph"
],
"title": "Normal-fault stress and displacement through finite-element analysis",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0510159"
},
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"execution_id": "c00f0390-5fe8-4f3e-bdba-649d53c66818",
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