Deformation of a uniform half-space due to a long inclined tensile fault

Abstract

The calculation of the deformation due to shear and tensile faults in a half-space is a fundamental tool for the investigation of seismic and volcanic sources. The solution of the two-dimensional problem of a long inclined shear fault is well-known. The purpose of the present paper is to present closed-form analytical expressions for the subsurface stresses and displacements caused by a long inclined tensile fault buried in a homogeneous isotropic half-space. The expression for the Airy stress function satisfying appropriate boundary conditions at the surface of the half-space is obtained. This Airy stress function is used to derive the expressions for the displacements and stresses at an arbitrary point of the half-space. The variation of the displacement field with the horizontal distance from the fault is studied numerically. The effect of the depth of the upper edge of the fault and the dip angle on the deformation field is also examined.