Work

Analysis of Stress in the Cohesive Zone, Dissipation and Fracture Energy During Shear Rupture Experiments

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: We analyze high resolution slip rate data obtained during dynamic shear rupture experiments by Berman et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.125.125503 . We use an inverse method to extract the details of strength evolution within the cohesive zone. The overall behavior is slip‐weakening at high rupture speeds (, where is the Rayleigh wavespeed), but non‐monotonic at low rupture speeds , with a transient increase after an initial strong weakening. The slower ruptures are associated to more weakening in the cohesive zone. The fraction of breakdown work associated to the initial weakening, immediately behind the rupture tip, matches the fracture energy estimated by independent methods, but the total breakdown work can be much larger than fracture energy. Complex stress evolution in the cohesive zone is compatible with a well‐defined fracture energy that explains rupture tip propagation, but the complexity is reflected in local slip rates that will impact radiated waves.

Source: Geophysical Research Letters

DOI: 10.1029/2024gl113972

Author: Nicolas Brantut

Institutions: GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, University College London

Language: English

Topic: earthquake and tectonic studies

Subfield: Geophysics

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,190

Funders: Leverhulme Trust, European Commission, Natural Environment Research Council