Role of fluids and fault HYDROmechanics on SEISmic rupture

The “HYDROSEIS” project is supported by the main French Research Funding Agency (“ANR”) over the period 2014-2018. Six young scientists [F. Cappa (PI), L. de Barros, L. Stehly, A. Sladen, M.L. Doan, E. Larose], and international experts and collaborators [Y. Guglielmi (CEREGE), S. Garambois (ISTerre), J. Rutqvist (LBNL), C. Bean (UCD), R. Viesca (TUFTS), J.P. Avouac (CALTECH), J.P. Ampuero (CALTECH)] are involved in the project.

The main objective is to improve our understanding of the role of fluids on the rupture of earthquake faults. To date, few data are available to study the couplings between fluids, fault slip and seismicity. In this project, we propose to develop a new in-situ approach based on the hydraulic stimulation of a small fault segment (10 m) under controlled experimental conditions.

The fluid injections will produce small fault slip (few millimeters) and will be monitored with a dense network of sensors, including pressuremeters, strainmeters, seismometers and electrical imaging. This original experiment will be conduct at 300 m-depth at the Low Noise Underground Laboratory of Rustrel in France