Effect of grain size and grain size distribution on slip dynamics: An experimental analysis
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The Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences offers majors in three areas: Geology (traditional, environmental, or hydrogeology, for work as a surveyor or in mineral exploration), Meteorology (studies in global atmosphere, weather technology, and modeling for work as a meteorologist), and Earth Sciences (interdisciplinary mixture of geology, meteorology, and other natural sciences, with option of teacher-licensure).
History
The Department of Geology and Mining was founded in 1898. In 1902 its name changed to the Department of Geology. In 1965 its name changed to the Department of Earth Science. In 1977 its name changed to the Department of Earth Sciences. In 1989 its name changed to the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences.
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1898-present
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- Department of Geology and Mining (1898-1902)
- Department of Geology (1902-1965)
- Department of Earth Science (1965-1977)
- Department of Earth Sciences (1977-1989)
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- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (parent college)
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Abstract
When faults form and slip they produce granular wear material that accommodates most of the strain. We investigate the effect of grain size and grain size distribution on slip dynamics by using sheared elliptical acrylic discs as a fault gouge proxy. Physical experiments on three different grain size assemblages are performed in a spring slider apparatus. Our results indicate that below a grain diameter threshold of 1/10 of the shear zone width, increasing grain size corresponds to faster slip velocities during slip events. In experiments with more than one grain size, the relative proportions of grain sizes and effective grain sizes control the bulk behavior. We show that shear zones with grains that are larger than 1/10 of the shear zone width show deformation dynamics that are independent of the small grain fraction. In shear zones where the grain sizes are below this threshold a high abundance of small grains promotes slower and smaller slip events.
Comments
This is a manuscript of an article published as Randolph-Flagg, Jeremy, and Jacqueline E. Reber. "Effect of grain size and grain size distribution on slip dynamics: An experimental analysis." Tectonophysics (2019). doi: 10.1016/j.tecto.2019.228288. Posted with permission.