Nature Of Stress-Strain Accumulation Due To A Reatangular Finite Fault In A Viscoelastic Layer Over A Viscoelastic Half-Space

The process of stress accumulation near earthquake faults during the aseismic period in between two major seismic events in seismically active regions has become a subject of research during the last few decades. Earthquake fault of finite length of strike-slip nature in a viscoelastic layer over a viscoelastic half space representing the lithosphere-asthenosphere system has been considered here. Stresses and strain accumulate in the region due to various tectonic processes, such as mantle convection and plate movements etc, which ultimately leads to movements across the fault. In the present paper, a three-dimensional model of the system is considered and analytical expressions for displacements, stresses and strains in the model have been obtained using suitable mathematical techniques developed for this purpose. A detailed study of these expressions may give some ideas about the nature of stress-strain accumulation in the system, which in turn will be helpful in formulating an effective earthquake prediction programme.