About This Item
- Full TextFull Text(subscription required)
- Pay-Per-View PurchasePay-Per-View
Purchase Options Explain
Share This Item
The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database
AAPG Bulletin
Abstract
AAPG Bulletin, V.
2005. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.
DOI:10.1306/0105052001108
Sandbox models of downward-steepening normal faults
Thomas L. Patton1
1BP America, 501 Westlake Park Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77079; pattontl@bp.com
ABSTRACT
Two deformational styles resulted from sandbox experiments examining the hanging-wall deformation above a downward-steepening normal-fault
bend comprised of two planar segments dipping at 40 and 60
. In the first, hanging-wall layer-parallel extension dominated, with synthetic normal faults forming an upward-widening
fault
-bound wedge above the
fault
bend. Early forming, arcuate, vertical-to-reverse faults bound the wedge on its downthrown side and were followed by a planar, large-displacement synthetic normal
fault
bounding the wedge on the upthrown side. This later
fault
accommodated almost all of the subsequent displacement that occurred on the underlying 60
fault
. Slip variably occurred along the 40
segment of the
fault
. Good analogs in nature exist for this deformation geometry. In the second deformational style, hanging-wall layer-parallel compression dominated, forming a monocline with antithetic hinge surfaces dipping downward to the
fault
-bend surface. Antithetic reverse faults formed in the limb of the monocline. The upper hinge of the monocline intersected the footwall at the
fault
bend, whereas its lower hinge intersected the 60
fault
below the
fault
bend. The lower hinge was older and formed near the location of the
fault
bend prior to its being translated down the 60
master
fault
as part of the hanging wall. Elements of this geometry correlate well with the results of some geometric-based numerical models, but strong analogs in nature are elusive.
Pay-Per-View Purchase Options
The article is available through a document delivery service. Explain these Purchase Options.
Watermarked PDF Document: $14 | |
Open PDF Document: $24 |
AAPG Member?
Please login with your Member username and password.
Members of AAPG receive access to the full AAPG Bulletin Archives as part of their membership. For more information, contact the AAPG Membership Department at members@aapg.org.