Comparison of ground deformation due to movement of a fault for different types of crack surface

An analytical solution of deformation of a homogeneous, isotropic elastic layer of uniform thickness overlying a homogeneous, isotropic viscoelastic half-space of Burger medium due to movement of an infinite fault for different types of crack surface has been studied. The deformation by this fault has been compared with the deformation by an infinite fault situated in viscoelastic half-space of Burger medium. The expressions of displacement, stress and strain have been obtained in aseismic period (period in between two major seismic events) by using Green’s function technique and Laplace transform by applying suitable boundary conditions and initial conditions. Finally these displacement, stress and strain components are numerically computed with suitable values of the model parameters and the results thus obtained are presented graphically. A detailed study of these expressions may give some idea about the amount of displacement due to different types of fault movement and the nature of stress-strain accumulation across the earthquake fault. A Comparison of these results has also been analysed and the effect of change of inclinations and velocities of the fault movement has been studied. Such theoretical models may be used for obtaining greater insight into the earthquake processes in seismically active region.