Numerical Modelling of Tectonic Plates Subduction using X-FEM

Author (s): Zlotnik, S., Díez, P., Fernández, M. and Vergés, J.
Journal: Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering

Volume: 196, Issues 41-44
Pages: 4283 – 4293
Date: 2007

Abstract:
The numerical modelling of plate subduction requires solving a coupled thermo-mechanical highly-nonlinear transient problem. The mechanical description of the phenomenon results in a multiphase quasi-static Stokes flow, where the inertia terms are neglected. The transient thermal problem is dominated by the advection term. Here, the representation and evolution of the different phases are described using level sets. The phase tracking is carried out transporting the level set along with the material, using a pure advective model. The gradient discontinuities induced by the viscosity jump across the interface are resolved numerically by enriching the solution using a partition of unity method in a eXtended Finite Element Method (X-FEM) context. These numerical tools are used to simulate plate subduction with different parameters and to derive useful correlations between relevant geophysical factors.

Keywords: Tectonic plates; Subduction; Numerical modelling; EXtended Finite Element Method (X-FEM)

Journal paper (from the publisher)  
UPCommons page Link  

Bibtex:

@article{Zlotnik20074283,
author = "Zlotnik, S.; Díez, P.; Fernández, M. and Vergés, J.”,
title = "Numerical modelling of tectonic plates subduction using X-FEM ",
journal = "Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering ",
volume = "196",
number = "41–44",
pages = "4283 - 4293",
year = "2007",
issn = "0045-7825",
doi = "http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cma.2007.04.006",
url = "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045782507001831",
}