A sensitivity study on the numerical model of displacement and deformation of embedded brittle rock bodies in extension
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ORIGINAL PAPER
A sensitivity study on the numerical model of displacement and deformation of embedded brittle rock bodies in extension environment during salt tectonics Shiyuan Li 1
Received: 7 June 2016 / Accepted: 29 September 2016 # Saudi Society for Geosciences 2016
Abstract Many salt bodies contain large rock inclusions (called stringers) such as carbonate or anhydrite bodies. Mostly, large rock inclusions embedded in salt bodies have different ways of movement and deformation, including displacement, folding and fracturing. A finite element model with adaptive remeshing has been built for downbuilding simulation. The standard model set-up is constrained by observations from the South Oman Salt Basin. Based on the generic model in the previous research which shows the fracture, overtrusting or folding deformation during downbuilding process, a sensitivity study has been conducted on the numerical model of the deformation and displacement of brittle rock bodies, including the parameters such as the initial depth and the distance between them. The results of simulation are analyzed based on the data from SOSB and Zechstein salt basin. The study shows that the frequency of the break and the size of stringer fragments are strongly affected by the initial depth and thickness of stringers and the basement configuration. Keywords Displacement . Brittle rock body . Salt tectonics
Introduction Large rock inclusions are embedded in many salt bodies, and these inclusions have different ways of deformation and displacement. The process of salt tectonics has a strong impact on the deformations of inclusions, resulting in some typical ways * Shiyuan Li [email protected] 1
School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Fuxue Road 18, Beijing 102249, China
of deformation such as displacement, folding, fracture, and thrusting. It is of great importance to understand the deformation and displacement of inclusions. Over the past 30 years, a large number of numerical studies on the deformation of salt structures have been performed and a few numerical studies have been done regarding the salt with inclusions embedded as a relatively homogeneous material. Koyi (2001) used physical models, and Chemia et al. (2008, 2009) used numerical models to study the whole process of the entrainment of anhydrite blocks into a salt structure and their later descent within the structure. Besides, Koyi (2001) used numerical models to quantify the descent rate of the entrained anhydrite blocks within a salt diapir. Chemia et al. (2008), Chemia and Koyi (2008), and Chemia et al. (2009) systematically studied the effects of viscosity (Newtonian and non-linear), position of the anhydrite layer, and different rising rate of salt diapirs in connection to the entrainment and descent of anhydrite layers/ blocks within a salt structure. Burchardt et al. (2011, 2012a, b) used extensive numerical modeling to study the influence of size/aspect ratio and orientation of the denser blocks on the rate and mode of sinking. It is impor
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