Analysis of tectonic stress field and potential activities in Lingshan Fault Zone, Guangxi

Tectonic stress is one of the most active factors in the earth crust, therefore figuring out its mode of action and form of conversion is of great significance to guide the research on fault activity. Through a survey on many structural features in the Lingshan area, which include vertical folds, conjugated joints and scratch on faults surface, etc., we investigated the revolution characteristics of the tectonic stress field, mode of action and sequence of tectonic stress in the Lingshan area by structural analysis method. The results show that the region experienced four periods of function of tectonic stress field which came from four different directions: NW, NE, nearly EW and nearly SN. The force of NW appeared early than that of NE, and then the compression of nearly EW. We concluded that the structural framework of the study area has been formed by the effect of SN compressed stress which is still active today. Meanwhile, based on the geologic analysis of the mechanism of tectonic stress, we analyzed the structural stress quantitatively in the Lingshan area using finite element numerical simulation. The simulation demonstrated that the overlapping parts of strain intensive zone in higher value of maximum principal stress and lower value of maximum principal stress, such as, fault-bend parts, the fault intersections and the faults disappears site, have higher energy and prone to reactive in the later period. We think that the north of Mountain Luoyang, Fengtong, Tieling, Luwu are high stress concentration area, and the energy release is minor. And thus, we proposed a high-risk district and a sub-high-risk district in the Lingshan area is according to the size and scope of the stress. ©, 2015, Science Press. All right reserved.