A benchmark experiment for analogue modeling of extensional basin formation and evaluation of applicability of centrifuge test

Abstract

For physical experiments like analogue modeling that designed for studying geological deformation, reproducibility of the deformation is important to guarantee the reliability of the experiment. In this study, the normal fault generated by extensional stress is benchmarked using a sand box model. The scaling factors for the modeling test are considered and the experiments are conducted by setting the appropriate material, extensional stress, and boundary condition in the same way as in a benchmark experiment. In addition, a large centrifuge facility is used to vary the centrifugal acceleration and extension rate in the same sized model to account for the scaling factors of the physical quantity during extensional behavior. At 1 g benchmark condition and a centrifugal field at 10 g, a constant rate of the extensional stress is implemented and the topographic evolution is reliably measured. In this study, the reliability and applicability of large centrifuge model tests are evaluated for formulating experiments designed to study geological deformation.