Critically Stressed Areas of Earth’s Crust as Medium for Man-caused Hazards

Abstract

Despite advances in rockburst studies, suddenness of major geodynamic events is reported in a number of cases. Phenomenological tectonophysical model is suggested to explain some geodynamics phenomena. Prof. Petukhov I.M. suggested a concept: the Earth crust's critical stress condition is developed due to horizontal compressive forces and entrains rock strata from the sub-surface to a certain depth. The conditions that induced earthquake in 2013 at Bachat coal field in south west Kuzbass are considered in terms of critical stress developed in the top layer of the Earth crust. Estimates show that the size of the critical stress zone, produced presumably by interaction of huge (over 100 km) crustal blocks is at least 10km. Whereas critical stress zone is located in the top part of Earth's crust, mining operations in the pit including blast operations was making a direct impact on this area. Shallow occurrence of critical stress area and its size can provide insight into why mining works brought about induced earthquake with hypocenter at the depth of several kilometers. The conclusion has been made that regional areas of critical stress within rock massif developed as a result of crustal blocks interaction create hazard medium for mining.