Earthquake Rupture Dynamics

3 credits · Graduate

Physics of earthquakes, including nucleation, propagation, and arrest; slip-weakening and rate-and-state friction laws; thermal pressurization and dynamic weakening mechanisms; off-fault plasticity; dynamic fracture mechanics; earthquake energy balance. Problem sets involve numerical simulations on Sherlock cluster. Prerequisites: Experience with continuum mechanics (linear elasticity with stress and strain as tensors) and familiarity with seismic waves. Offered occasionally.