Abstract
Source parameter estimates based on the homogeneous and inhomogeneous source models have been examined for an anomalous sequence of seven mine-induced events located between 640 and 825 m depth at Strathcona mine, Ontario, and having magnitudes ranging betweenm N 0.8 and 2.7. The derived Brune static stress drops were found to be similar to those observed for natural earthquakes (∼30 bars), whereas dynamic stress drops were found to range up to 250–300 bars. Source radii derived from Madariaga's model better fit documented evidence of underground damage. These values of source radii were similar to those observed for the inhomogeneous model. The displacement at the source, based on the observed attenuation relationship, was about 60 mm for three magnitude 2.7 events. This is in agreement with slip values calculated using peak velocities and assuming the asperity as a Brune source within itself (72 mm). By using Madariaga's model for the asperity, the slip was over 3 times larger than observed. Peak velocity and acceleration scaling relations with magnitude were investigated by incorporating available South African data, appropriately reduced to Canadian geophysical conditions. The dynamic stress drop scaled as the square root of the seismic moment, similar to reported results in the literature for crustal earthquakes. This behavior suggests that the size of the asperities responsible for the peak ground motion, with respect to the overall source size, follow distributions that may be similar over a wide range of magnitudes. Measurements of source rupture complexity (ranging from 2 to 4) were found to agree with estimates of overall source to asperity radii, suggesting, together with the observed low rupture velocities (0.3 β to 0.6 β), that the sources were somewhat complex. Validation of source model appropriateness was achieved by direct comparison of the predicted ground motion level to observed underground damage in Creighton mine, located within the same regional stress and geological regime as Strathcona mine. Close to the source (<100 m), corresponding to relatively higher damage levels, a good agreement was found between the predicted peak particle velocities for the inhomogeneous model and velocities derived based on established geomechanical relationships. The similarity between asperity radii and the regions of the highest observed damage provided additional support for the use of the inhomogeneous source model in the assessment of damage potential.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aki, K., andRichards, P. G.,Quantitative Seismology: Theory and Methods (W. H. Freeman, San Francisco, Calif. 1980).
Andrews, D. T.,Objective determination of source parameters and similarity of earthquakes of different size. InEarthquake Source Mechanics (Das, S., Boatwright, J., and Scholz, C. H., eds.) American Geophysical Union Monograph37 (AGU, Washington, DC 1986) pp. 259–267.
Archambeau, C. B., (1968),General Theory of Elastodynamic Source Fields, Rev. Geophys.6, 241–288.
Boatwright, J. (1980),A Spectral Theory for Circular Seismic Sources; Simple Estimates of Source Dimension, Dynamic Stress Drop, and Radiated Seismic Energy, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.70, 1–27.
Boatwright, J. (1984),The Effect of Rupture Complexity on Estimates of Source Size, J. Geophys. Res.89, 1132–1146.
Boatwright, J. (1988),The Seismic Radiation from Composite Models of Faulting, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.78, 489–508.
Boatwright, J., andFletcher, J. B. (1984),The Partition of Radiated Energy between P and S Waves, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.74, 361–376.
Brune, J. N. (1970),Tectonic Stress and the Spectra of Seismic Shear Waves from Earthquakes, J. Geophys. Res.75, 4997–5009.
Brune, J. N. (1971),Correction, J. Geophys. Res.76, 5002.
Burdick, L. J. (1978),t * for S Waves with Continental Ray Path, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.68, 1013–1030.
Das, S., andKostrov, B. (1983),Breaking of a Single Asperity: Rupture Proscess and Seismic Radiation, J. Geophys. Res.88, 4277–4288.
Frankel, A. (1991),High-frequency Spectral Fall-off of Earthquakes, Fractal Dimension of Complex Rupture b Value, and the Scaling of Strength on Faults, J. Geophys. Res.96, 6291–6302.
Fukushima, Y., andTanaka, T. (1990),A New Attenuation Relationship for Peak Horizontal Acceleration of Strong Ground Motion in Japan, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.80, 757–783.
Gendzwill, D. J., andPrugger, A. F.,Algorithms for micro-earthquake locations, Proc. 4th Symp. onAcoustic Emissions and Microseismicity (Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 1985) pp. 601–615.
Gibowicz S. J.,The Mechanism of Large Mining Tremors in Poland. In:Rockbursts and Seismicity in Mines (Gay, N. C., and Wainwright, E. H., eds.) (South African Inst. Min. Metall., Johannesburg 1984) Symp. Ser.6 pp. 17–28.
Gibowicz, S. J., Harjes, H. P., andSchafer, M. (1990),Source Parameters of seismic Events at Heinrich Robert Mine, Ruhr Basin, Federal Republic of Germany: Evidence for Non-double-couple Events, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.80, 1–22.
Hanks, T. C. (1977),Earthquake Stress Drops, Ambient Tectonic Stresses, and Stresses that Drive, Plates, Pure and Appl. Geophys.115, 441–458.
Hanks, T. C. (1982), 27-1, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.72, 1867–1879.
Hanks, T. C., andMcGuire, R. K. (1981),The Character of High-frequency Strong Ground Motion, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.71, 2071–2095.
Kaiser, P. K., Jesenak, P., McCreath, D. R., andTennant, D. D. (1992),Rockburst Damagepotential Assessment, Geomechanics Research Centre, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
Madariaga, R. (1976),Dynamics of an Expanding Circular, Fault, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.66, 639–666.
Makuch, A.,Design of a New Macroseismic Monitoring System (Canmet Special Publication SP86-14E) (Canadian Government Publishing Centre, Ottawa 1986), 19 pp.
Matsumura, S. (1981),Three-dimensional Expression of Seismic Particle Motions by the Trajectory Ellipsoid and its Application to the Seismic Data Observed in the Kanto District, Japan, J. Phys. Earth29, 221–239.
McGarr, A. (1981),Analysis of Peak Ground Motion in Terms of a Model of Inhomogeneous Faulting, J. Geophys. Res.86, 3901–3912.
McGarr, A. (1984),Scaling of Ground Motion Parameters, State of Stress, and Focal Depth, J. Geophys. Res.89, 6969–6979.
McGarr, A.,Some observations indicating complications in the nature of earthquake scaling. InEarthquake Source Mechanics (Das, S., Boatwright, J., and Scholz, C. H., eds.) American Geophysical Union Monograph37 (AGU, Washington, DC 1986), pp. 217–225.
McGarr, A. (1991),Observations Constraining Near-source Ground Motion Estimated from Locally Recorded Seismograms, J. Geophys. Res.96, 16495–16508.
McGarr, A., Green, R. W., andSpottiswoode, S. M. (1981),Strong Ground Motion of Mine Tremors: Some Implications for Near-source Ground Parameters, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.71, 295–319.
Niazi, M., andBozorgnia, Y. (1991),Behavior of Near-source Peak Horizontal and Vertical Ground Motions over SMART-1 Array, Taiwan, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.81, 715–732.
Nuttli, O. N. (1973),Seismic Wave Attenuation and Magnitude Relations for Eastern North America, J. Geophys. Res.78, 876–885.
Scholz, C. H.,The Mechamics of Earthquake and Faulting (Cambridge, University Press, New York 1990).
Scholz, C. H., andAviles, C. A.,The fractal geometry of faults and faulting. InEarthquake Source Mechanics (Das, S., Boatwright, J., and Scholz, C. H., eds.) American Geophysical Union Monograph37. (AGU, Washington, DC 1986) pp. 147–155.
Snoke, J. A. (1987),Stable determination of (Brune) Stress-drops, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.77, 530–538.
Thurber, C. H. (1985),Nonlinear Earthquake Location: Theory and Examples, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.75, 779–790.
Trifu, C.-I., andRadulian, M. (1989),Asperity Distribution and Percolation as Fundamentals of an Earthquake Cycle, Phys. Earth Planet. Interiors58, 277–288.
Tumarkin, A. G., Archuleta, R. J., andMadariaga, R. (1992),Basic Scaling Relations for Composite Earthquake Models, Abstract, EOS Trans. Amer. Geophys. Union73, 389.
Urbancic, T. I., andYoung, R. P. (1990),Focal Mechanism and Source Parameter Studies of a m N 1.8–2.7 Sequence of Mining-induced Seismic Events Recorded during June, 1988, at the Strathcona Mine, Sudbury, Canada, Tech. Trans. Project Rep., Dept. Geol. Sci., Queen's Univ., Kingston, Canada.
Wolfenstein, L., andBeier, E. (1989),Neutrino Oscillations and Solar Neutrinos, Phys. Today42 (7), 28–36.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Trifu, CI., Urbancic, T.I. & Young, R.P. Source parameters of mining-induced seismic events: An evaluation of homogeneous and inhomogeneous faulting models for assessing damage potential. PAGEOPH 145, 3–27 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00879480
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00879480