We present a finite-element study of stress perturbation in evolving compressive and extensional strike-slip fault bridges. The results are compared with a fracture study of a compressive bridge at St Donats, UK. Horizontally interbedded calcareous mudstone and bioclastic calcilutite at St Donats have a distinct vertical permeability anisotropy. This sedimentary sequence behaves as a set of horizontal aquifers. The fluid flow in these aquifers is sensitive to mean stress gradients. Paleostress analysis of field fracture data, verified by finite-element modelling, indicates a rotation of σ1 towards parallelism with boundary faults inside the growing compressive bridge. Boundary faults and bridge faults recorded numerous fluid flow events. The modelled mean stress pattern shows a regional maximum within the bridge and local maxima/minima pairs at boundary fault tips.Finite-element modelling of an extensional bridge indicates that σ3 rotates towards parallelism with boundary faults. The mean stress pattern is similar to the pattern in compressive bridge but with maxima and minima locations interchanged. The stress patterns are reestablished by each stress build-up preceding the rupturation of the boundary faults throughout the development stages of strike-slip fault bridges. Mean stress gradients developed pre-failure control the fluid flow in fractures of the strike-slip fault system at and after the end of each stress build-up and the fluid flow in boundary faults post-failure. Fracture reactivation and new fracture generation within an evolving bridge is a process consisting of multiple successive events that retain the storage capacity of the bridge. Rupture and sealing of the main bounding-faults is a step-wise process that opens and closes fluid conduits between areas with different pressures. 相似文献
In order to identify and characterise fluids associated with metamorphic rocks from the Chaves region (North Portugal), fluid inclusions were studied in quartz veinlets, concordant with the main foliation, in graphitic-rich and nongraphitic-rich lithologies from areas with distinct metamorphic grade. The study indicates multiple fluid circulation events with a variety of compositions, broadly within the C–H–O–N–salt system. Primary fluid inclusions in quartz contain low salinity aqueous–carbonic, H2O–CH4–N2–NaCl fluids that were trapped near the peak of regional metamorphism, which occurred during or immediately after D2. The calculated P–T conditions for the western area of Chaves (CW) is P=300–350 MPa and T500 °C, and for the eastern area (CE), P=200–250 MPa and T=400–450 °C. A first generation of secondary fluid inclusions is restricted to discrete cracks at the grain boundaries of quartz and consists of low salinity aqueous–carbonic, H2O–CO2–CH4–N2–NaCl fluids. P–T conditions from the fluid inclusions indicate that they were trapped during a thermal event, probably related with the emplacement of the two-mica granites.
A second generation of secondary inclusions occurs in intergranular fractures and is characterised by two types of aqueous inclusions. One type is a low salinity, H2O–NaCl fluid and the second consists of a high salinity, H2O–NaCl–CaCl2 fluid. These fluid inclusions are not related to the metamorphic process and have been trapped after D3 at relatively low P (hydrostatic)–T conditions (P<100 MPa and T<300 °C).
Both the early H2O–CH4–N2–NaCl fluids in quartz from the graphitic-rich lithologies and the later H2O–CO2–CH4–N2–NaCl carbonic fluid in quartz from graphitic-rich and nongraphitic-rich lithologies seem to have a common origin and evolution. They have low salinity, probably resulting from connate waters that were diluted by the water released from mineral dehydration during metamorphism. Their main component is water, but the early H2O–CH4–N2–NaCl fluids are enriched in CH4 due to interaction with the C-rich host rocks.
From the early H2O–CH4–N2–NaCl to the later aqueous–carbonic H2O–CO2–CH4–N2–NaCl fluids, there is an enrichment in CO2 that is more significant for the fluids associated with nongraphitic-rich lithologies.
The aqueous–carbonic fluids, enriched in H2O and CH4, are primarily associated with graphitic-rich lithologies. However, the aqueous–carbonic CO2-rich fluids were found in both graphitic and nongraphitic-rich units from both the CW and CE studied areas, which are of medium and low metamorphic grade, respectively. 相似文献
