Abstract

Earthquakes have the potential to cause massive human, structural and economic devastation. The frequency and magnitude of seismic waves produced are a product of the earthquake source (where the fault zone is slipping) and the path along which seismic waves travel. Little is known about the seismic source, in particular how fault zone characteristics affect slip kinematics. My project aims to understand how the properties of the earthquake source are affected by the country rock surrounding a fault. Using laboratory experiments to simulate spontaneous earthquakes with blocks of varied elastic properties, the velocity and amplitude of ruptures will be observed. Numerical modelling of the ruptures will be developed in order to upscale results and predict the larger-scale behaviour of earthquake ruptures. As well as my research, I will also discuss my journey to my PhD and how I became involved in my project.