Determining the strain upon the eastern section of the North Anatolian fault zone (NAFZ)

Abstract

Strain analysis is frequently used by disciplines such as material, tensile strength, mechanics, and soil mechanics. Strain causes deformation based on normal, shear, and torsional strain types. Strain cannot be measured directly, but it can be calculate by measuring deformation. Many plates are present on Earth. These plates move with respect to each other. One of the research fields of geodynamics is determining the plate movement properties. These properties are amount of plate movement with respect to other plates, rotation of plates, and the strain at plate borders and within plates. These plate movements can be calculated with seismic or geological data and geodetic data. In this study, strain analysis was conducted upon the results obtained from 35 GPS locations on Kelkit valley, which is on the Northern Anatolian fault zone (NAFZ), between the years of 2006 and 2008. Additionally, meaningful strain accumulation was found in the zones that were investigated, and its correspondence with the tectonic structure of the region was confirmed. The maximum and minimum principle strain rate parameters and maximum principle strain rate direction, which provides the average strain rate and strain directions, are E1= 0.17 mu s/year, E2=-0.24 mu s/year, and beta = -14.33 degrees. Furthermore, the mean pure shear strain rate of the region and the engineering shear strain rate was calculated as gamma(1)= -0.21 mu rad/year, and gamma(2)= 0.19 mu rad/year, respectively. According to these results, there is a strain accumulation in this region.