Using scaled physical models to study the deformation pattern produced by basement-involved oblique extension
Abstract--We have used scaled clay models to study the secondary faulting in the sedimentary cover above an oblique-slip normal fault.  The master fault beneath the clay layer dips 45° and strikes at 045° to the horizontal component of the displacement direction.  The top surface of the clay layer was photographed at regular displacement increments to chart the temporal evolution of the surface fault pattern.  Layered clay models were dried and vertically sectioned.

Two populations of secondary faults are associated with oblique-slip normal faulting.  The first set consists of normal faults that are subperpendicular to the displacement direction.  The second set consists of oblique-slip normal faults that are subparallel to the trend of the master fault.  This trend becomes more prominent at depth within the clay layer.  The master-fault trend also becomes more prominent as the thickness of the clay layer decreases.  Fault lengths initially follow a power-law size distribution but exhibit an exponential size distribution with increasing strain.  Increasing displacement rate results in a decrease in fault size, an increase in the number of faults, a decrease in the spacing between faults, and a decrease in the width of the deformed zone; fault trends are unaffected.  The deformation pattern in cross section consists of a highly faulted extensional forced fold.  Antithetic faults are most numerous near the top surface of the model and decrease in number with depth.

The map views of the oblique-slip models closely resemble those formed in left-lateral strike-slip models (i.e., two secondary fault populations).  These map views, however, differ considerably from those formed in models of dip-slip normal faulting, which show a single secondary fault trend.  Alternatively, the cross-sectional views of the oblique-slip models are similar to those formed in dip-slip models (i.e, a highly faulted extensional forced fold).  These cross-sectional views are dissimilar to those formed in strike-slip models, which show no appreciable or consistent vertical offsets along the secondary faults.  Thus, it is necessary to use both map and cross-section data to distinguish among the fault patterns produced by strike-slip, oblique-slip, and dip-slip faulting.

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