HIERARCHICAL PROPERTIES OF A STRESS FIELD AND ITS RELATION TO FAULT DISPLACEMENTS

Abstract

The structure of the stress field is studied around a frictional shear fault on the basis of a theoretical solution. The hierarchical properties of tectonic stress fields are discussed. A method is proposed for the separation of fields of different ranks. It is shown that displacements of sides are dependent on the fault-plane orientation in the initial stress field and the type of that field; and on the coefficient of friction. These displacements are the greatest on planes that make angles below 45° with the compression axis of the initial field.