Along‐strike structural linkage and interaction in an active thrust fault system: A case study from the western Sichuan foreland basin, China

Autor: Maomao Wang, Wang Feng, Gonghua Song, Zhuxin Chen, Danqi Jiang, Bing Yan
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: Basin Research. 33:210-226
ISSN: 1365-2117
0950-091X
Popis: [This article describes structural linkage and interactions patterns in an active thrust system in the western Sichuan foreland basin. Lateral growth and linkage of thrust fault segments restrict fault development, generate a defict between structural shortening and fault displacement, limit the displacement on the main thrust ramp and lead to the emergence of secondary faults such as shallow thrust splay and fault bifurcation. , Abstract Along‐strike structural linkage and interaction between faults is common in various compressional settings worldwide. Understanding the kinematic history of fault interaction processes can provide important constraints on the geometry and evolution of the lateral growth of segmented faults in the fold‐and‐thrust belts, which are important to seismic hazard assessment and hydrocarbon trap development. In this study, we study lateral structural geometry (fault displacement and horizon shortening) of thrust fault linkages and interactions along the Qiongxi anticline in the western Sichuan foreland basin, China, using a high‐resolution 3D seismic reflection dataset. Seismic interpretation suggests that the Qiongxi anticline can be related to three west‐dipping, hard‐linked thrust fault segments that sole onto a regional shallow detachment. Results reveal that the lateral linkage of fault segments limited their development, affecting the along‐strike fault displacement distributions. A deficit between shortening and displacement is observed to increase in linkage zones where complex structural processes occur, such as fault surface bifurcation and secondary faulting, demonstrating the effect of fault linkage process on structural deformation within a thrust array. The distribution of the geometrical characteristics shows that thrust fault development in the area can be described by both the isolated fault model and the coherent fault model. Our measurements show that new fault surfaces bifurcate from the main thrust ramp, which influences both strain distribution in the relay zone and along‐strike fault slip distribution. This work fully describes the geometric and kinematic characteristics of lateral thrust fault linkage, and may provide insights into seismic interpretation strategies in other complex fault transfer zones.]
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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