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Anderson S Theory of Faulting
Anderson S Theory of Faulting
Anderson S Theory of Faulting
Primary assumptions
Surface of the earth is not confined, and
not acted on by shear stresses.
Also, tectonic plates move parallel with
Earths surface (unknown in 1951)
Homogenous rocks
Coulomb behavior
Hypothetically
Reverse faults: should form at ~30 dip
Normal faults: should form at ~60 dip
Strike-slip faults: should form at ~90 dip
Common exceptions
Thrust faults mechanically unfavorable
Low-angle normal faults mechanically
very unfavorable
Possible explanations
1. Elevated pore fluid pressure
2. Pre-existing weaknesses
3. Rolling-hinge model for low-angle normal
faults
1eff
3eff
1
3
3eff
1eff
3eff
1eff
3eff
1eff
2. Pre-existing anisotropy
Bedding
Weak layer (salt, shale)
Foliation
Donath (1961)
produced shear
fractures at very low
angles to 1 in
anisotropic rock
Cartoon cross
section illustrating
the rolling-hinge
model
East Humboldt
Range
Ruby
Mountains
Geologic map of
the Ruby
Mountains and
East Humboldt
Range
Cross section of a
low-angle normalfault system
Cartoon cross
section illustrating
the rolling-hinge
model