Quasidynamic Model for Earthquake Simulations

Mark Abinante, & Leon Knopoff

Published November 1995, SCEC Contribution #272

A cellular automaton is constructed that simulates the response of a one-dimensional dynamical Burridge-Knopoff model for earthquake occurrence. The central element of the model involves an approximation to the momentum overshoot of the static equilibrium state in the dynamic case. The model gives satisfactory comparison with, and a reduction in computation by 10N relative to, histories of synthetic seismicity using the dynamic model, when a reasonable choice of overshoot is selected. Solutions that use the ‘‘standard’’ quasistatic automaton, in which the final state of stress is set equal to the dynamic friction, give less satisfactory agreement. Thus momentum overshoot is an important factor in regulating earthquake self-organization and cannot be ignored in any accurate simulation of earthquake histories.

Citation
Abinante, M., & Knopoff, L. (1995). Quasidynamic Model for Earthquake Simulations. Physical Review E, 52(5), 5675-5678. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.52.5675.