Analysis on the Critical Condition of Active Fault Instability and the Parameters of the Interface Model

Abstract

Abstract-In this paper, earthquake triggering is described as the process of local instability of system in mathematical and physical way. And critical instability conditions of the fault in analysis domain are given. Based on elastic-plastic theory general constitutive relationship of the fault plane is derived. And its stability state is discussed by the example of rate and state related friction law corresponding to the characteristic earthquake. The relationship between seismic precursors and fault stability is analyzed in the three conditions of the rock stiffness, the fault interface stiffness and the stress and state of the fault. And the relationship between the parameters of the rate and state related friction law and the repeated interval of characteristic earthquakes is enumerated.