Understanding strain localization and fault slip in earthquake systems requires insight into the coupled processes of fluid flow and deformation in porous media. This talk explores recent advances in modeling poromechanical mechanisms that govern these phenomena. Using physics-based numerical simulations within a continuum two-phase framework, the study captures the interplay between fluid pressure diffusion, nonlinear rheology, and dynamic weakening in compressible, fluid-saturated fault gouge. Results reveal how different frictional formulations influence shear band thickness, rupture speed, and energy dissipation. The transition between fast and slow slip modes will also be examined, alongside stability analyses that map the conditions for fluid-induced seismicity.
Bio:
Luca Dal Zilio is Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), where he leads the Computational Geophysics Lab at the Earth Observatory of Singapore. He was previously a senior researcher at ETH Zurich and postdoctoral researcher at Caltech. His research focuses on earthquake physics, poromechanics, and high-performance simulation of coupled geophysical processes. In 2025, he received a Nanyang Assistant Professorship Award to advance multi-scale modeling of hydromechanical fault systems.
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2025-06-12T17:00:002025-06-12T18:00:00Modeling Poromechanics in Earthquake and Faulting PhenomenaEvent Information:
Abstract:
Understanding strain localization and fault slip in earthquake systems requires insight into the coupled processes of fluid flow and deformation in porous media. This talk explores recent advances in modeling poromechanical mechanisms that govern these phenomena. Using physics-based numerical simulations within a continuum two-phase framework, the study captures the interplay between fluid pressure diffusion, nonlinear rheology, and dynamic weakening in compressible, fluid-saturated fault gouge. Results reveal how different frictional formulations influence shear band thickness, rupture speed, and energy dissipation. The transition between fast and slow slip modes will also be examined, alongside stability analyses that map the conditions for fluid-induced seismicity.
Bio:
Luca Dal Zilio is Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), where he leads the Computational Geophysics Lab at the Earth Observatory of Singapore. He was previously a senior researcher at ETH Zurich and postdoctoral researcher at Caltech. His research focuses on earthquake physics, poromechanics, and high-performance simulation of coupled geophysical processes. In 2025, he received a Nanyang Assistant Professorship Award to advance multi-scale modeling of hydromechanical fault systems.Event Location:
CEME 2202
