Does the direct effect of friction increase continuously with absolute temperature?

Sylvain D. Barbot

Published September 8, 2024, SCEC Contribution #13541, 2024 SCEC Annual Meeting Poster #114 (PDF)

Poster Image: 
Constitutive models of fault friction form the basis of physics-based simulations of seismic activity. A generally accepted framework for the slip-rate and state dependence of friction involves a thermally activated process, whereby the probability of slip along micro-asperities adheres to an Arrhenius law. This model, which has become widely adopted among experimentalists and theoreticians, predicts a continuous increase of the direct effect with absolute temperature, but is it observed experimentally? Leveraging comprehensive laboratory data across diverse hydrothermal, barometric, and lithological conditions, we demonstrate that, contrary to the classical view, the direct effect for a given deformation mechanism remains largely temperature-independent. Instead, the incremental shifts in the direct effect often coincide with the brittle to semi-brittle transition, across which distinct deformation mechanisms operate. These considerations challenge the validity of the classical model. Realistic constitutive laws for rock failure within the lithosphere must incorporate the contributions of multiple deformation mechanisms within active fault zones.

Key Words
friction, constitutive law, thermodynamics

Citation
Barbot, S. D. (2024, 09). Does the direct effect of friction increase continuously with absolute temperature?. Poster Presentation at 2024 SCEC Annual Meeting.


Related Projects & Working Groups
Fault and Rupture Mechanics (FARM)