Research progress on the propagation and linkage of faults

  • LAI Jin ,
  • WANGGuiwen
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  • State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China

Online published: 2013-02-20

Abstract

Growth faults normally act as the boundary faults along basins, and control the evolution of basins. The characters of fault growth, revealed by articles abroad, are based on the increase of displacement and length. Quantitative constraints from ancient fault systems show mainly two models. Conventional growth models suggest that faults become larger due to systematic increase in both maximum displacement and length, which predict a systematic power-law relationship between maximum displacement Dand maximum trace length Lof the form D= cLn.Others suggest alternative growth models, in which faults are rapidly lengthening at an initial short stage, followed by a subsequent longer phase by increasing cumulative displacement at roughly constant length. It is a significant process in controlling the size and shape of many sedimentary basins in extensional settings that the evolution and linkage of fault segments to form continuous fault zones. This paper discussed these fault growth models and the characters of fault linkage by summarizing the research findings.

Cite this article

LAI Jin , WANGGuiwen . Research progress on the propagation and linkage of faults[J]. Lithologic Reservoirs, 2013 , 25(1) : 11 -15 . DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8926.2013.01.003

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