Rock Friction Constitutive Experiments as Related to Theory of Earthquake Instability

该奖项继续实验和理论研究， 岩石摩擦本构特性及其意义 来了解地震的不稳定性。 目前来说 对微观尺度存在基本的理解 负责观察到的组成性过程 行为 状态变量的物理意义是 未知 因此，将实验室结果外推至 与地震相关的时间和长度尺度无法完成 充满信心 这项研究将集中在发现 微观尺度的基本过程， 行为，并利用这些信息来制定构成 有着坚实物理基础的描述。 采取方法是 应用分子间和表面领域的最新进展， 力和亚临界裂纹扩展来理解摩擦 阻力

This award continues experimental and theoretical study of the constitutive behavior of rock friction and its implications for understanding earthquake instabilities. At present little fundamental understanding exists concerning the micro-scale processes that are responsible for observed constitutive behavior. The physical meaning of the state variables is unknown. Consequently, extrapolation of laboratory results to time and length scales relevant to earthquakes cannot be done with confidence. This research will focus on discovering the fundamental micro-scale processes responsible for the observed behavior and using this information to formulate constitutive descriptions with a sound physical basis. The approach is to apply recent advances in the fields of intermolecular and surface forces and subcritical crack growth to understanding frictional resistance.