RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE KINEAMATICS OF THE TOP OF A LAYER AND THE STATE OF STRESS WITHIN IT DUE TO BLOCK MOTION AT ITS BOTTOM (IN CONNECTION WITH THE INTERPRETATION OF RECENT MOVEMENTS)

Abstract

The equilibrium of an infinite linearly viscous layer overlying a rigid basement which is separated into blocks by a narrow plane slit is considered. The state of stress in the layer is caused by slow translational motions of the basement blocks. This spatial problem is shown to separate into problems of plane and anti-plane strain; their solutions are constructed in analytic form. The theoretical study was accompanied by modelling experiments. The results are applied to a kinematic interpretation of recent movements in sediments.