SCEC Award Number 18220 View PDF
Proposal Category Individual Proposal (Integration and Theory)
Proposal Title Developing a dynamic earthquake simulator for earthquake gate studies
Investigator(s)
Name Organization
Benchun Duan Texas A&M University
Other Participants
SCEC Priorities 1d, 2e, 5a SCEC Groups FARM, CS, SAFS
Report Due Date 03/15/2019 Date Report Submitted 05/04/2019
Project Abstract
 In this project, we develop a dynamic earthquake simulator with the following two features. First, it can capture both co-seismic dynamic rupture and other quasi-static processes of an earthquake cycle, which is similar to the method in the community by Lapusta and co-workers [Lapusta et al., 2000; Lapusta and Liu, 2009] (while their method is limited to a planar, vertical strike-slip fault). Second, it is suitable for geometrically complex faults, which is similar to the method RSQSim in the community by Dieterich and co-workers [Dieterich and Richards-Dinger, 2010; Richards-Dinger and Dieterich, 2012] (while their method does not include spontaneous dynamic rupture). With these two features, the dynamic earthquake simulator will be suitable for earthquake gate studies, providing a physics-based approach to assess probability and conditions for an earthquake gate to open, and a framework to assimilate seismic and geodetic data throughout multiple earthquake cycles. We successfully develop the dynamic earthquake simulator, verify against a similar model to previous studies, and apply it to the strike-slip fault with a bend.
Intellectual Merit The project develops a 3D dynamic earthquake simulator based on finite element methods. The developed simulator is unique in the scientific community because of its two features. First, it can capture both the dynamic rupture process and quasi-static deformation processes of earthquake cycles. Second, it can be applied to geometrically complex faults. Existing earthquake simulators in the community only have either the first or the second feature. The developed dynamic earthquake simulator can be applied to earthquake gate studies, which is an important initiative in SCEC 5.
Broader Impacts The project supports a PhD student who is capable of scientific programming and parallel computing. The obtained results on a strike-slip fault with a bend using the developed dynamic earthquake simulator shed lights onto earthquake behaviors of geometrically complex faults, which will allow better assessment of seismic hazards, in particular for assessing probability of multiple-fault ruptures, in earthquake-prone regions such as Southern California.
Exemplary Figure Fig. 2 Snapshots of sliprate distributions (logarithmic with the base of 10) on a strike-slip fault with a bend (at the middle of the fault along strike). Three types of dynamic ruptures occur on the fault over multiple earthquake cycles. The first type of ruptures nucleates on the left segment and breaks the entire fault (a). The second type of ruptures nucleates on the left segment, propagates toward the bend, and stops at the bend (b) or shortly after the bend (c). The third type of ruptures nucleates on the right segment and breaks the entire fault (d). (From Liu and Duan, 2019).
Linked Publications

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  • Liu, D., & Duan, B. (2019). A 3D Finite Element Dynamic Earthquake Simulator for Multicycle Dynamics of Geometrically Complex Faults Governed by Rate- and State-Dependent Friction. Geophysical Journal International, (in preparation). SCEC Contribution Number 9070
  • Liu, D., Duan, B., & Luo, B. (2018, 08). A Dynamic Earthquake Simulator for Geometrically Complex Faults Governed by Rate- and State- Friction. Poster Presentation at 2018 SCEC Annual Meeting. SCEC Contribution Number 8715