Abstract Thixotropy in this article refers to the property exhibited by saturated sludges and clays when with particle sizes less than 0.005mm become liquid upon stir or shake during strong earthquakes. The soft-sediment flow deformation structures triggered by earthquakes include liquefied flow deformation and thixotropic flow deformation. The former refers to the liquefaction and flow deformation of sand layers(including fine carbonate sediments);the latter refers to the flow of saturated argillaceous sediments. Thixotropic structures such as mud,clay,siliceous mud,lime mud, etc. are widely distributed in the stratigraphic record,and they mostly form a composite deformation structure with the liquefied deformation structure of the sand layer. Usually the geologists pay more attention to the features of sand layers or misinterpret the thixotropic structures of argillaceous sediment as the liquefied flow structures of sand. Based on the distribution pattern of saturated argillaceous sediments in the stratum,this paper divides the thixotropic flow deformation into four categories: (1)upward,(2)downward,(3)simultaneous upward and downward, and (4) nearly horizontal flows. In this paper, characteristics of these thixotropic features and their forming processes were described and interpreted in combination with field phenomena. Finally,thixotropic flow deformation structures have been systematically summarized. We hope that the thixotropic features would draw attention from geologists engaged in researches on soft sedimentary deformation and palaeoearthquakes.
Fund:Co-funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41772116), Basic Research Funds Project of China Geological Survey(No. JYYWF201818)and Basic Research Funds Project of Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences(No. YYWF201705)
About author: Su De-Chen,born in 1964,is a research professor. He is engaged in researches of palaeoearthquakes records and sedimentology. E-mail: sudechen@163.com.Qiao Xiu-Fu,born in 1930,is a research professor. He is engaged in researches of palaeoearthquakes records and sedimentology. E-mail: 13691572080@163.com.
Cite this article:
Su De-Chen,Qiao Xiu-Fu. Thixotropic deformation features of cohesive sediments triggered by palaeoearthquakes[J]. JOPC, 2018, 20(4): 609-622.
Su De-Chen,Qiao Xiu-Fu. Thixotropic deformation features of cohesive sediments triggered by palaeoearthquakes[J]. JOPC, 2018, 20(4): 609-622.
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