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Gamage & Screaton 2006
Gamage, K. and Screaton, E. (2006). Characterization of excess pore pressures at the toe of the Nankai accretionary complex, Ocean Drilling Program sites 1173, 1174, and 808: Results of one-dimensional modeling. Journal of Geophysical Research 111: doi: 10.1029/2004JB003572. issn: 0148-0227.

Elevated fluid pore pressures play a critical role in the development of accretionary complexes, including the development of the d¿collement zone. In this study, we used measured permeabilities of core samples from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 190 to develop a permeability-porosity relationship for hemipelagic sediments at the toe of the Nankai accretionary complex. This permeability-porosity relationship was used in a one-dimensional loading and fluid flow model to simulate excess pore pressures and porosities. Simulated excess pore pressure ratios (as a fraction of lithostatic pressure-hydrostatic pressure) using the best fit permeability-porosity relationship were lower than predicted from previous studies. We then tested sensitivity of excess pore pressure ratios in the underthrust sediments to bulk permeability, lateral stress in the prism, and a hypothetical low-permeability barrier at the d¿collement. Our results demonstrated significant increase in pore pressures below the d¿collement with lower bulk permeability, such as obtained by using the lower boundary of permeability-porosity data, or when a low-permeability barrier is added at the d¿collement. In contrast, pore pressures in the underthrust sediments demonstrated less sensitivity to added lateral stresses in the prism, although the profile of the excess pore pressure ratio is affected. Both simulations with lateral stress and a low-permeability barrier at the d¿collement resulted in sharp increases in porosity at the d¿collement, similar to that observed in measured porosities. Furthermore, in both scenarios, maximum excess pore pressure ratios were found at the d¿collement, suggesting that either of these factors would contribute to stable sliding along the d¿collement.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
Marine Geology and Geophysics, Marine hydrogeology, Tectonophysics, Continental margins, convergent, Physical Properties of Rocks, Permeability and porosity
Journal
Journal of Geophysical Research
http://www.agu.org/journals/jb/
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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