PARAMETRIC STUDY FOR DYNAMIC RUPTURE MODELING USING A RATE AND STATE FRICTION LAW
Understanding earthquake rupture dynamics is critical for seismic hazard assessment. Variations in frictional conditions along a fault segment can generate different rupture behaviors with consequences on the seismic waves radiated, as revealed by numerical simulations. The rate-and-state friction (RSF) law provides a physically robust framework for modeling these dynamics, but its nonlinearity and parameter sensitivity complicate a priori predictions of rupture outcomes.
To address this challenge, we conduct a systematic parametric analysis of RSF laws, focusing on the most influential parameters governing friction evolution. Using the Southern California Earthquake Center TPV103 benchmark (Harris et al., 2018)—a standardized RSF test for dynamic rupture in a homogeneous elastic medium—we explore how subtle modifications to fault parameters alter rupture propagation features as slip velocity and stress drop. Our simulations employ DGCrack (Tago et al., 2012), a high-performance discontinuous Galerkin method tailored for dynamic rupture problems.
This work provides actionable guidelines for selecting RSF parameters in simulations of historical earthquakes and future scenario ruptures for seismic hazard assessment.
References:
* Tago, J., Cruz‐Atienza, V. M., Virieux, J., Etienne, V., & Sánchez‐Sesma, F. J. (2012). A 3D hp‐adaptive discontinuous Galerkin method for modeling earthquake dynamics. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 117(B9).
* Harris, R. A., Barall, M., Aagaard, B., Ma, S., Roten, D., Olsen, K., ... & Dalguer, L. (2018). A suite of exercises for verifying dynamic earthquake rupture codes. Seismological Research Letters, 89(3), 1146-1162.