A discussion on the influences of Zipingpu reservoir on the stability of faults in the neighborhood

doi:10.7523/j.issn.2095-6134.2010.6.004

Abstract

Abstract:

Whether the Zipingpu reservoir triggered the 5.12 earthquake has attracted international attention. We discuss influences of the artificial load on stability of faults in the vicinity based on the solution of Boussinesq’s problem with the consideration of geometry of the reservoir and real water depth. The results indicate that the static Coulomb stress changes obviously near the surface and its magnitude can be 0.2MPa, but decreases rapidly with distance. The seismic source of the 5.12 earthquake was in the field where the static Coulomb stress changes are positive. However, the magnitude of about 0.005MPa is too small because of the remoteness from the reservoir. We also discuss the distribution of the static Coulomb stress caused by point load on some typical faults.

Key words: Zipingpu, Wenchuan, Boussinesq, analytic solution, the Coulomb stress, triggered earthquake, reservoir

CLC Number:

P315

ZHANG Bei, SHI Yao-Lin. A discussion on the influences of Zipingpu reservoir on the stability of faults in the neighborhood[J]. , 2010, 27(6): 754-760.

References

[1] Gupta H K. A review of recent studies of triggered earthquakes by artificial water reservoirs with special emphasis on earthquakes in Koyna, India
[J]. Earth-Science Reviews, 2002, 58(3/4):279-310.

[2] Pandey A P, Chadha R K. Surface loading and triggered earthquakes in the Koyna-Warna region, western India
[J].Physics of The Earth and Planetary Interiors, 2003, 139(3/4): 207-223.

[3] Chung W Y, Liu C. The reservoir-associated earthquakes of April 1983 in western Thailand: Source modeling and implications for induced seismicity
[J]. Pure and Applied Geophysics, 1992, 138(1): 17- 41.

[4] Deng Q D, Chen S F, Zhao X L. Tectonics, scismisity and dynamics of longmenshan mountains and its adjacent regions
[J]. Seismology and Geology,1994,16(1):389-403(in Chinese). 邓起东, 陈社发,赵小麟. 龙门山及其邻区的构造和地震活动及动力学
[J]. 地震地质, 1994, 16(1):389- 403.

[5] Lei X L, Ma S L, Wen X Z, et al. Integrated analysis of stress and regional seismicity by surface loading a case stydy of Zipingpu reservoir
[J]. Seismology and Geology,2008,30(4):1046-1064(in Chinese). 雷兴林,马胜利,闻学泽,等. 地表水体对断层应力与地震时空分布影响的综合分析——以紫坪铺水库为例
[J]. 地震地质, 2008, 30(4):1046-1064.

[6] Ge S M, Liu M, Lu N, et al. Did the Zipingpu Reservoir trigger the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake?
[J]. Geophys Res Lett, 2009, 36(20): L20315.

[7] Chen Y. Did the reservoir impoundment trigger the Wenchuan earthquake?
[J]. Science in China Series D: Earth Sciences, 2009, 52(4): 431- 433.

[8] 陈颙. 汶川地震并非由水库引起
[J]. 科学世界, 2009,(5):51-52.

[9] 钱伟长,叶开沅. 弹性力学
[M]. 北京: 科学出版社, 1956: 309.

[10] 王敏中. 高等弹性力学
[M]. 北京: 北京大学出版社, 2002: 134.

[11] King G C P, Stein R S, Lin J. Static stress changes and the triggering of earthquakes
[J]. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 1994, 84(3): 935-953.

[12] Shi Y L, Cao J L. Some aspects in static stress change calculation case study on Wenchuan earthquake
[J]. Chinese J Geophy, 2010, 53(1):102-110. (in Chinese). 石耀霖,曹建玲. 库仑应力计算及应用过程中若干问题的讨论
[J]. 地球物理学报, 2010, 53(1):102-110.

[13] Zhu A L, Xu X W, Diao G L, et al. Relocation of the Ms8.0 Wenchuan earthquake sequence in part: preliminary seismotectonic analysis
[J]. Seismology and Geology,2008,30(3):759-767(in Chinese). 朱艾斓, 徐锡伟, 刁桂苓等. 汶川Ms8.0地震部分余震重新定位及地震构造初步分析
[J]. 地震地质, 2008, 30(3):759-767.

[14] Huang J L, Zhao D P, Zheng S H. Lithospheric structure and its relationship to seismic and volcanic activity in southwest China
[J]. J Geophys Res, 2002, 107(B10) doi: 10.1029/2000jb000137.

[15] Lei J S, Zhao D P, Su J R, et al. Fine seismic structure under the Longmenshan fault zone and the mechanism of the large Wenchuan earthquake
[J]. Chinese J Geophys, 2009, 52(2):339-345(in Chinese). 雷建设,赵大鹏,苏金蓉,等. 龙门山断裂带地壳精细结构与汶川地震发震机理
[J]. 地球物理学报, 2009, 52(2):339-345.

[16] Lay T, Wallace TC. Modern global seismology
[M]. Seattle: Academy Press,1995:54.

[17] Cui Y Q, Ma S L, Liu L Q. Effect of lateral stress perturbation on frictional behavior: an expermental study
[J]. Seismology and Geology,2005,27(4):645- 652(in Chinese). 崔永权, 马胜利,刘力强. 侧向应力扰动对断层摩擦影响的实验研究
[J]. 地震地质, 2005, 27(4):645- 652.

[18] Harris R A. Introduction to special section: Stress triggers, stress shadows, and implications for seismic hazard
[J]. J Geophys Res, 1998, 103(B10): 24347-24358.