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ABSTRACT:We study the influence of an upper-plate fault on the stress state of accreting sediments under large-scale deformation. We develop drained evolutionary geomechanical models using the Finite Element program Elfen. We simulate sediments as porous-elastoplastic material, and we model the fault as a pre-existing contact surface with a varying frictional strength that is lower than the intact sediment. The weaker fault results in a decrease in sediment differential stress near and especially seaward of the fault. A significant section of the wedge is affected by this stress variation. In contrast, the stress ratio is that of Coulomb failure further away from the fault. We also show that the maximum principal stress the sediments can support decreases with decreasing fault strength. This study offers a significant improvement over previous models of continuum wedge sediments that predict Coulomb failure throughout the wedge. Our results improve our understanding of near-fault stress state, hence improving our understanding of seismic hazards in subduction zones and providing practical insights for reservoir quality and the design of safe and economic well trajectories. 1 INTRODUCTIONAccretionary wedges are geological structures that develop at convergent plate boundaries, particularly at subduction zones. They form as a result of offscraping sediments from the subducting oceanic plate, which then accumulates on the leading edge of the overriding plate (e.g., Moore et al., 2011; Buiter et al., 2016; Gao et al., 2018).Understanding the state of stress in accretionary wedges is crucial for the study of earthquake mechanics in subduction zones (e.g., Brodsky et al., 2017; Huffman and Saffer, 2016; Suppe, 2007). It provides insights for earthquake occurrence, large or slow-slip events (e.g., Kodaira et al., 2012; Tobin et al., 2022; Liu and Rice, 2007) and tsunami potential (e.g., Dean et al., 2010; Riedel et al., 2016). In addition, estimates of mean and differential stress, as well as porosity evolution can help improve the assessment of reservoir quality and the design of safe and economic well trajectories (e.g., Morley et al., 2011).The accumulation of sediments in an accretionary wedge resembles a bulldozer gathering snow as it moves. Hence, wedge sediments are often assumed to be at compressional failure (e.g., Davis et al., 1983; Dahlen et al., 1984; Flemings and Saffer, 2018). Several field observations of faulting, folding and lateral compression as seen in seismic images and drilling measurements (e.g., Flemings and Saffer, 2018; Henry et al., 2003; Moore et al., 1990; Westbrook et al., 1988) provide evidence that the accretionary wedge is at a state of failure in compression.
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This content will become publicly available on June 8, 2026
Impact of Spontaneous Generation of Splay Faults on Stress Heterogeneity in Accreting Sediments
ABSTRACT:We model the progressive generation and propagation of faults in accreting sediments and study how this process affects stress and deformation in the accretionary wedge. We develop large-scale evolutionary drained geomechanical models. We simulate sediment behavior using a porous elasto-plastic constitutive formulation that incorporates the effect of both mean and shear stress to compaction. We integrate a FEM-DEM framework that enables faulting when the deviatoric plastic strain exceeds a specified threshold over a specified length. New faults are introduced to the mesh as contact surfaces with a friction angle lower than that of the intact sediment. We find that the weaker faults lead to a decrease in sediment differential stress in zones that extend several hundred meters away from the fault. This introduces a significant heterogeneity in both stress and strength within the accretionary wedge. The heterogeneity propagates seaward as the wedge evolves and new faults are generated. We also explore the effect of fault frictional strength through parametric analyses. We find that weaker faults result in more extensive areas of low differential stress and delay the generation of the next set of faults at the toe of the wedge. Our results offer a significant improvement over previous models of continuum wedge sediments that predict Coulomb failure throughout the wedge. Our study provides insights into the state of stress in faulted accretionary wedges, highlighting the spatial heterogeneity of stress and its potential impact on factors influencing seismic cycles in subduction zones.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2041496
- PAR ID:
- 10647992
- Publisher / Repository:
- ARMA
- Date Published:
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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