Rate and state frictional and healing behavior of carbonate fault gouge explained using microphysical model

Abstract

Classical rate-and-state friction (RSF) laws are widely applied in modeling earthquake dynamics but generally using empirically determined parameters with little or no knowledge of, or quantitative account for, the controlling physical mechanisms. Here a mechanism-based microphysical model is developed for describing the frictional behavior of carbonate fault gouge, assuming that the frictional behavior seen in lab experiments is controlled by competing processes of rate-strengthening intergranular sliding versus contact creep by pressure solution. By solving the controlling equations, derived from kinematic and energy/entropy balance considerations, and employing a microphysical model for rate-strengthening grain boundary friction plus standard creep equations for pressure solution, we simulate typical lab-frictional tests, namely, “velocity stepping” and “slide-hold-slide” test sequences, for velocity histories and environmental conditions employed in previous experiments. The modeling results capture all of the main features and trends seen in the experimental results, including both steady state and transient aspects of the observed behavior, with reasonable quantitative agreement. To our knowledge, ours is the first mechanism-based model that can reproduce RSF-like behavior in terms of microstructurally verifiable processes and state variables. Since it is microphysically based, we believe that our modeling approach can provide an improved framework for extrapolating friction data to natural conditions.