Numerical modelling of tectonic plates subduction using X-FEM

The numerical modelling of plate subduction requires solving a coupled thermo-mechanical highly-nonlinear transient problem. The mechanical description of the phenomenon results in a multiphase quasi-static Stokes flow, where the inertia terms are neglected. The transient thermal problem is dominate...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Zlotnik, Sergio|||0000-0001-9674-8950, Díez, Pedro|||0000-0001-6464-6407, Fernández, M., Verges, J.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2007
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/8505
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/8505
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cma.2007.04.006
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Plate tectonics
Finite element method
Tectonic plates
Subduction
Numerical modelling
EXtended Finite Element Method (X-FEM)
Tectònica de plaques
Elements finits, Mètode dels
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Matemàtiques i estadística::Anàlisi numèrica::Mètodes en elements finits
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria civil::Geologia
Descripción
Sumario:The numerical modelling of plate subduction requires solving a coupled thermo-mechanical highly-nonlinear transient problem. The mechanical description of the phenomenon results in a multiphase quasi-static Stokes flow, where the inertia terms are neglected. The transient thermal problem is dominated by the advection term. Here, the representation and evolution of the different phases are described using level sets. The phase tracking is carried out transporting the level set along with the material, using a pure advective model. The gradient discontinuities induced by the viscosity jump across the interface are resolved numerically by enriching the solution using a partition of unity method in a eXtended Finite Element Method (X-FEM) context. These numerical tools are used to simulate plate subduction with different parameters and to derive useful correlations between relevant geophysical factors.