A dynamic-induced direct-shear model for dynamic triggering of frictional slip on simulated granular gouges

This study presents a dynamic-induced direct-shear model to investigate the dynamic triggering of frictional slip on simulated granular gouges. An incident P-wave is generated as a shear load and a normal stress is constantly applied on the gouge layer. The shear stress accumulates in the incident stage and the frictional slip occurs in the slip stage without the effect of the reflected wave. The experimental results show a non-uniform shear stress distribution along the gouge layer, which may be induced by a shear load induced torque and by normal stress vibration along the layer. The shear stress at the trailing edge strongly affects the frictional slip along the P-wave loading direction, while the rebound stress at the leading edge propagates along the opposite direction. The frictional slip is triggered when the maximum shear stress at the trailing edge reaches a critical value. The normal stress influences the maximum shear stress at the trailing edge, the maximum slip displacement and the slip velocity. The advantages and the limitations of this model are discussed at the end.