Morphostructural and tectonophysical features of strike-slip and extensional fault zones (results of analog modeling)

The formation of the relief of fault zones is considered in relation to the evolution of their internal structure during faulting. The study was carried out by analog modeling with subsequent digital elevation modeling of the experimental surface of the deformed sample. The vertical displacement gradient was calculated based on the digital elevation models. It has been found that the relief of strike-slip and extensional fault zones depends on their internal structure. Each element of the internal structure makes its own contribution to the relief formation. The process depends on experimental conditions, such as the viscosity of the model material and the model deformation rate. The relief of the fault zone is different at each of three main stages of its formation.