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Fault zone architecture and permeability structure

Jonathan Saul Caine Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
James P. Evans Department of Geology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322-4505
Craig B. Forster Earth Sciences and Resources Institute, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112

ABSTRACT the major components of a fault zone and


Fault zone architecture and related permeability structures form primary controls on then set forth both qualitative and quanti-
fluid flow in upper-crustal, brittle fault zones. We develop qualitative and quantitative tative schemes for fault-related permeability
schemes for evaluating fault-related permeability structures by using results of field in- structures. The schemes are based on a syn-
vestigations, laboratory permeability measurements, and numerical models of flow within opsis of our research and the work of other
and near fault zones. The qualitative scheme compares the percentage of the total fault zone authors (Sibson, 1981; Oliver, 1986; Chester
width composed of fault core materials (e.g., anastomosing slip surfaces, clay-rich gouge, and Logan, 1986; Parry and Bruhn, 1986;
cataclasite, and fault breccias) to the percentage of subsidiary damage zone structures (e.g., Scholz, 1987; Scholz and Anders, 1994;
kinematically related fracture sets, small faults, and veins). A more quantitative scheme is Parry et al., 1988; Bruhn et al., 1990; Smith
developed to define a set of indices that characterize fault zone architecture and spatial et al., 1990; Forster and Evans, 1991; Moore
variability. The fault core and damage zone are distinct structural and hydrogeologic units and Vrolijk, 1992; Caine et al., 1993; New-
that reflect the material properties and deformation conditions within a fault zone. man and Mitra, 1994; Goddard and Evans,
Whether a fault zone will act as a conduit, barrier, or combined conduit-barrier system is 1995).
controlled by the relative percentage of fault core and damage zone structures and the
inherent variability in grain scale and fracture permeability. This paper outlines a frame- FAULT ZONE DEFINITION
work for understanding, comparing, and correlating the fluid flow properties of fault zones The primary components of upper-crustal
in various geologic settings. fault zones are fault core, damage zone, and
protolith (shown in the conceptual model of
INTRODUCTION to measure in situ fault zone properties in a Fig. 1). No scalar relationship is implied be-
Brittle fault zones are lithologically het- way that adequately characterizes the spatial tween the components, nor must all of the
erogeneous and structurally anisotropic dis- and temporal variations in permeability, po- components be present in any given fault
continuities in the upper crust. They may act rosity, and storativity. zone. Note that the fluid flow properties of
as conduits, barriers, or combined conduit- In this paper, we compile data, terminol- a fault zone may change, thus the diagram
barrier systems that enhance or impede fluid ogy, and conceptual models in order to con- represents only a single point in time. For
flow (Randolph and Johnson, 1989; Smith et solidate our knowledge of fault-related per- example, the core may act as a conduit dur-
al., 1990; Scholz, 1990; Caine et al., 1993; meability structures. We outline a fault zone ing deformation and as a barrier when open
Forster et al., 1994; Antonellini and Aydin, model and a set of indices that serve as a pore space is filled by mineral precipitation
1994; Newman and Mitra, 1994; Goddard guide in evaluating the physical properties following deformation. Thus, it is important
and Evans, 1995). Fault zones are composed of fault zones. This model can be used as a to specify the stage of fault evolution when
of distinct components: a fault core where framework for determining spatial variabil- forming a conceptual model for a particular
most of the displacement is accommodated ity in fault zone architecture from field data fault zone.
and an associated damage zone that is me- and for incorporating physically based geo- We define a fault core as the structural,
chanically related to the growth of the fault logic information in mathematical models of lithologic, and morphologic portion of a
zone (Sibson, 1977; Chester and Logan, fluid flow in faulted rocks. We first define fault zone where most of the displacement is
1986; Davison and Wang, 1988; Forster and
Evans, 1991; Byerlee, 1993; Scholz and
Anders, 1994). The amount and distribution
of each component control fluid flow within
and near the fault zone.
Insufficient data, particularly field-based
data, are available to adequately character-
ize and compare architecture, permeability
structure, fluid flow, and mechanical prop-
erties of fault zones found in different geo-
logic environments. Current demands to
prove the long-term integrity of waste-dis-
posal facilities, produce hydrocarbons from
reservoirs compartmentalized by fault
zones, extract mineral deposits, and esti-
mate earthquake risk require incorporating
detailed, field-based representations of the
Figure 1. Conceptual model of fault zone with protolith removed (after Chester and Logan, 1986;
physical properties of fault zones in predic- Smith et al., 1990). Ellipse represents relative magnitude and orientation of the bulk two-
tive fluid flow simulators. Development of dimensional permeability (k) tensor that might be associated with each distinct architectural
valid flow models is hindered by our inability component of fault zone.

Data Repository item 9659 contains additional material related to this article.

Geology; November 1996; v. 24; no. 11; p. 1025–1028; 3 figures; 1 table. 1025
accommodated (Fig. 1). Fault cores may in- The geometry and magnitude of perme- sure of the relative width of the fault core
clude single slip surfaces (Caine et al., 1991), ability contrasts between the fault core and and damage zone at a specified location
unconsolidated clay-rich gouge zones damage zone are primary controls on the (Fig. 3A). When Fa is 0, ideally the damage
(Anderson et al., 1983), brecciated and geo- barrier-conduit systematics of the fault zone is absent, and the lower permeability of
chemically altered zones (Sibson, 1977), or zone. Fracture density in the fault core is the fault core causes the fault zone to act as
highly indurated, cataclasite zones (Chester usually significantly less than in the damage a barrier to flow. When Fa is 1, ideally the
and Logan, 1986). Our field-based observa- zone (Andersson et al., 1991; Chester et al., fault core is absent, and the presence of a
tions suggest that thickness variations, both 1993). Thus, the permeability of the fault higher permeability damage zone causes the
down dip and along strike, combined with a core may be dominated by the grain-scale fault zone to act as a conduit for flow. Fm is
distinctive internal structure and composi- permeability of the fault rocks, whereas the the mean value of Fa obtained for a set of
tion, play an important role in controlling damage zone permeability is dominated by fault zone measurements (Fig. 3A). Fm is
the fluid flow properties of fault zone cores. the hydraulic properties of the fracture indicative of the overall architecture and
Grain-size reduction and/or mineral precip- network. permeability structure of a fault zone and
itation generally yield fault cores with lower can be measured along specific transects
porosity and permeability than the adjacent CONCEPTUAL SCHEME FOR (e.g., along the dip or strike of the fault
protolith (e.g., Chester and Logan, 1986; FAULT-RELATED FLUID FLOW zone). Fs is a spatial variability index that
Antonellini and Aydin, 1994; Goddard and A range of fault zone architectures are represents the spread in values of Fa ob-
Evans, 1995). Permeability reduction leads observed in outcrop (Fig. 2). Each of the tained within a specific fault zone (Fig. 3A).
to fault cores that act as barriers to fluid flow four end-member architectural styles is as- This measure of the spread is, perhaps, a
(see Table 1 below). sociated with a characteristic permeability more physically based measure than using
A damage zone is the network of subsid- structure (Chester and Logan, 1986; Bruhn the standard deviation.
iary structures that bound the fault core and et al., 1990; Forster and Evans, 1991; Moore Plotting values of Fa against total fault
may enhance fault zone permeability rela- and Vrolijk, 1992; Newman and Mitra, zone width yields insight regarding the me-
tive to the core and the undeformed proto- 1994). These include localized conduits, dis- chanics of faulting, the response of protolith
lith (Fig. 1; Chester and Logan, 1986; Smith tributed conduits, localized barriers, and rock types to deformation, and the resulting
et al., 1990; Andersson et al., 1991; Scholz combined conduit-barriers (Table 1). architecture and permeability structure
and Anders, 1994; Goddard and Evans, within a single fault zone (Fig. 3A) or within
1995). Fault-related subsidiary structures in NUMERICAL MEASURES OF FAULT a group of fault zones (Fig. 3B).1 The hor-
damage zones include small faults, veins, ZONE ARCHITECTURE AND izontal axis of the plot ranges between two
fractures, cleavage, and folds that cause het- PERMEABILITY STRUCTURE end-member architectures and permeability
erogeneity and anisotropy in the permeabil- Fault zone architecture and permeability structures. When Fa 5 0, the architecture of
ity structure and elastic properties of the structure are characterized by using three the fault zone may be dominated by strain
fault zone (Bruhn et al., 1994). Wide dam- numerical indices derived from our concep- localized deformation resulting in a barrier-
age zones may indicate multiple episodes of tual model: Fa, Fm, and Fs. type permeability structure (Fig. 3). When
slip and the overprinting of successive de- Fa 5 1, the fault zone may reflect distributed
damage zone width
formation events. Fa 5 strain resulting in a conduit-type permeabil-
The fault core and damaged zones shown total fault zone width ity structure (Fig. 3). Intermediate values of
in Figure 1 are surrounded by relatively un- damage zone width Fa indicate combined strain localization and
deformed protolith. This is the country rock 5 . distributed deformation that yield a barrier-
core width 1 damage zone width
where fault-related permeability structures conduit permeability structure (Fig. 3).
are absent, and both fluid flow and elastic Fm 5 mean of F a values for Figure 3A is an example plot of fault zone
properties of the rock reflect those of the architecture and permeability structure ob-
unfaulted host rock. Fault zone architecture a single fault zone. tained for a single fault (fault 6) located in
may ultimately reflect the degree to which upper Paleozoic clastic rocks at Traill Ø,
Fs 5 ~ F a)max 2 ~ F a)min.
the processes of strain localization vs. strain East Greenland. Fault 6 is an oblique-slip
distribution compete as the fault zone cuts Fa is a fault zone architectural index. Values normal fault on which there has been 85 m
different rock types in the protolith. of Fa range from 0 to 1 and provide a mea- of displacement. Excellent exposures of the
fault core, damage zone, and protolith were
mapped at 11 localities along a 400 m ver-
tical traverse. Numbers associated with each
point plotted in Figure 3A indicate the ele-
vation at which the data were collected.
Figure 3A shows possible correlations be-
tween protolith rock type, the protolith’s
mechanical response to deformation, and
the resulting permeability structure of fault
6. The three points clustered in the lower
right-hand corner of Figure 3A are from a
part of fault 6 where the protolith is domi-

1
GSA Data Repository item 9659, raw fault-
zone data, is available from Documents Secre-
tary, GSA, P.O. Box 9140, Boulder, CO 80301.
Figure 2. Conceptual scheme for fault-related fluid flow. E-mail: editing@geosociety.org.

1026 GEOLOGY, November 1996


mation structures, and fluid flow properties
(Fig. 3B). Figure 3B shows values of Fm
plotted for several different fault zones
where we have obtained data from our field
work or from the literature. The data shown
in Figure 3B suggest that fault zones that are
damage zone dominated (e.g., Fm values
greater than 0.5) tend to form in clastic
rocks and span a large range of displace-
ments. Plotting architectural data and de-
termining Fm from many diverse fault zones
will enable correlations to be made between
the factors that control fault zone architec-
ture (e.g., lithology, displacement, and de-
gree of strain localization) and subsequent
fluid flow properties (Fig. 3B). By using this
approach, a better understanding of the
“rules” that govern the development of fault
zone architecture and permeability struc-
ture may be gained, and predictive estimates
of the fluid flow properties of similar fault
zones might be made where direct mea-
surements are not possible.

nated by shale and the fault core lithology is syndeformational flow conduit and a post-
dominated by clay-rich gouge. The damage deformational conduit-barrier fluid flow sys- DISCUSSION: FACTORS THAT
zone structures include quartz and calcite tem, with flow being preferentially oriented CONTROL FAULT ZONE
veins, open fractures, and small faults. Out- parallel to the fault zone. HYDROGEOLOGY
crop observations suggest that where the For fault 6, Fm 5 0.79 (Fig. 3A). This re- Intrinsic controls (i.e., rock types vs. ex-
fault zone cuts shale-rich protolith there has sult indicates that the overall architecture is trinsic controls such as stress state) on fault
been a higher degree of strain localization a conduit-barrier fluid flow system, which zone permeability, porosity, and storativity
than where it cuts sandstone-rich protolith. agrees with outcrop observations. Both si- include lithology, fault displacement, three-
This is illustrated by the clustering of points licified breccia and clay-rich gouge in the dimensional fault zone geometry, deforma-
in contrast to the more diffusely distributed core would act as barriers to flow normal to tion conditions, types of subsidiary struc-
points. The high clay content in the fault the fault zone, and open fractures in the tures, fluid-rock interactions, and the spatial
core in this part of the fault, combined with damage zone would act as a conduit for flow and temporal variability of these parame-
veins and open fractures in the damage parallel to the fault zone. The overall spread ters. Little work using field-based and ex-
zone, would suggest that the fault zone acted in values of Fa obtained for fault 6 yields an perimental methods has been done to gain
as a syn- and postdeformational conduit- Fs value of 0.33. This relatively small value insight into these controls. A major difficulty
barrier permeability structure. of Fs suggests that fault 6 has a relatively in assessing fault zone permeability data
The relatively wide spread of the diffusely uniform architecture, which is observed in comes from the lack of consistent documen-
distributed points corresponds to the in- the field. tation of the morphological position (i.e.,
crease of quartz-rich sandstone in the pro- Fault zone architecture and permeability core, damage zone, or protolith) from which
tolith. At these locations the fault core li- structure plots can also be used with three- fault zone samples and data are collected
thology becomes dominated by silicified dimensional data from extensive surface ex- (Evans, 1990). Fully characterizing the fluid
breccias. The fault zone architecture and posures and drill cores. Multiple fault zones flow properties of fault zones involves ob-
permeability structure in this region indi- from a single area or many different areas taining permeability data for each fault zone
cates that the fault zone would have been a can be plotted to compare lithology, defor- component and clearly documenting the

Figure 3. Fault zone architec-


ture and permeability structure
plots. A: Data obtained from
fault 6, Traill Ø, East Greenland
(dots represent quartz-rich
lithologies; squares represent
clay-rich lithologies). B: Data
from faults mapped in different
geologic environments.

GEOLOGY, November 1996 1027


component of the fault zone from which derstanding of heterogeneity and anisotropy Hydraulic testing and modeling of a low-angle fracture zone
at Finnsjon, Sweden: Journal of Hydrology, v. 126, p. 45–77.
samples and related data are collected. in fault zones. Field-based fault zone archi- Antonellini, M., and Aydin, A., 1994, Effect of faulting on fluid
Field observations of unfractured fault tectural data can then be evaluated in the flow in porous sandstones: Petrophysicial properties: Amer-
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core materials suggest that they are domi- context of permeability structure and for- p. 355–377.
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versity of Utah, Department of Geology and Geophysics,
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part, on lithology and the degree to which these aspects of fault zone structure and hy- in fault zones before earthquakes: Geology, v. 21, p. 303–306.
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Rocks with the lowest phyllosilicate content tive schemes presented in this paper. The tains: New York State Geological Survey Open-File Re-
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during deformation. For example, work on ations in fault zone structure by using archi- role of fluids in cataclastically deformed granitic rocks, in
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS in The mechanical involvement of fluids in faulting: U.S.
this permeability contrast may be the pri- We thank Arild Andresen of the University of Oslo for support Geological Survey Open-File Report 94-228, p. 247–253.
mary control on fault zone barrier-conduit of field work in East Greenland, Exxon Production Research Com- Sibson, R. H., 1977, Fault rocks and fault mechanisms: Geological
pany for support of field and laboratory work in east Greenland, Society of London Journal, v. 133, p. 191–231.
systematics. U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Sibson, R. H., 1981, Fluid flow accompanying faulting: Field evi-
Additional controls on fault zone archi- Program grant 1434-93-G-2280 (to Forster, R. L. Bruhn, and J. dence and models, in Simpson, D. W., and Richards, P. G.,
Fredrich) for support of work on the Dixie Valley fault zone, and eds., Earthquake prediction—An international review:
tecture and permeability structure may in- National Science Foundation grant 92-05774 and U.S. Geological American Geophysical Union Monograph, Maurice Ewing
clude deformation conditions and the chem- Survey National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program grant Series, v. 4, p. 593– 603.
1434-94-G-2468 (to Evans). Smith, L., Forster, C. B., and Evans, J. P., 1990, Interaction of fault
istry of fault zone fluids. Understanding the zones, fluid flow, and heat transfer at the basin scale, in
Hydrogeology of permeability environments: International
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1028 Printed in U.S.A. GEOLOGY, November 1996

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