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Strain observation is the most intuitive observation equipment to monitor stress change in the crust. Strain equipment near the epicenter area of the Jiuzhaigou earthquake (JZGEQ) provides a lot of reliable pre-seismic and post-seismic data for the study of stress change. In this study, the load/unload response ratio (LURR) method is used to study the stress state of rocks by calculating the ratio of strain observation during the loading phase and unloading phase. Results show that the LURR method based on strain observation is an effective method to describe the dynamic change of the constitutive relationship of the rocks in the crust. Different from the strain observation, the LURR anomaly evolution process is more continuous regardless of the time series curve or spatial and temporal distribution characteristics. The LURR curves of different stations begin to increase above 1.0 gradually from 6 months to 1 year prior to the occurrence of the JZGEQ, reaching the maximum value in 1–3 months before the JZGEQ, and subsequently return to a low level. The maximum value of the LURR anomalies decreases with the distance from the epicenters. At the same time, the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of the LURR anomalies show us the process of “extension—enhance—weaken” in the epicenter of JZGEQ and its peripheral area prior to the earthquake. The concentration areas of the aforementioned LURR anomalies are all distributed in the pre-seismic normal stress-loading zone, which indicates that the faults are in the process of decoupling, and microfracture may exist in the stage of rock dilatancy.

A rock fracture test is a very important method in the study of rock mechanics. Based on the Mechanics Test System (MTS), the dynamic strain response of the failure process of cylindrical granite specimens under uniaxial compression was observed by using distributed optical fiber strain sensors. Two groups of tests were designed and studied for rock sample fracturing. The main comparison and analysis were made between the distributed optical fiber testing technology and the MTS testing system in terms of the circumferential strain response curve and the evolution characteristics of strain with time. The strain characterization of distributed optical fiber in the process of rock fracturing was obtained. The results show that the ring strains measured by the distributed optical fiber sensor and the circumferential strain gauge were consistent, with a minimum ring strain error of 1.27%. The relationship between the strain jump or gradient band of the distributed optical fiber and the crack space on the sample surface is clear, which can reasonably determine the time of crack initiation and propagation, point out the location of the rock failure area, and provide precursory information about rock fracture. The distributed optical fiber strain sensor can realize the linear and continuous measurement of rock mass deformation, which can provide some reference for the study of macro damage evolution and the fracture instability prediction of field engineering rock mass.

A highly accurate two-color interferometer with automatic correction of the refractive index of air was developed for crustal strain observation. The two-color interferometer, which can measure a geometrical distance of approximately 70 m, with a relative resolution of 2 × 10−9, clearly detected a change in strain due to earth tides in spite of optical measurement in air. Moreover, a large strain quake due to an earthquake could be observed without disturbing the measurement. We demonstrated the advantages of the two-color interferometer in air for geodetic observation.

A study of the Kunlunshan earthquake of M S=8.1 based on observed coseismic strain steps from the borehole strain monitoring network over China has been carried out with some interesting results. Firstly, many recordings disagree with theoretic calculation using static dislocation model. Secondly, abnormally large strain steps are observed at quite a few stations in the tectonically active east-northern China, while in the relatively inactive east-southern China no obvious steps are recorded. It is inferred that seismic stress triggering may significantly affect remote seismic strain field. In other words, whether remote faulting be seismically triggered or not may determine the pattern of local seismic strain changes. Further comparison study results of March 11, 1999 Zhangbei earthquake and November 1, 1999 Datong earthquake show that the specific pattern of seismic zones has obvious influence on seismic strain changes in the region. This supports the idea that observed abnormal strain steps might be produced by coseismicly stress-triggered local faulting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study on stress triggering and stress shadow is a frontier subject of current seismologic research. One of the problems presently encountered is the lack of reliable observation of real coseismic stress changes at locations remote to the epicenter. At Changping Station near Beijing, coseismic step-changes were recorded for the Mw6.3 Zhangbei quake on 10 January, 1998 and the Mw5.8 Zhangbei quake on 11 March, 1999, by a RZB borehole component strainmeter. Based on analyses of these recordings, this paper shows observed coseismic step-changes of the horizontal component of strain tensor. The strain step-changes reach the order of 10−8 and, correspondingly, stress step-changes reach as high as 10−4 MPa. The results are significantly higher than linear elastic theoretical values. However, as self-checking can be carried out with the 4 groups of data recorded by the 4-component strainmeter, it has proved that the results are reliable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rock fracture test is a very important method in the study of rock mechanics. Based on the Mechanics Test System (MTS), the dynamic strain response of the failure process of cylindrical granite specimens under uniaxial compression was observed by using distributed optical fiber strain sensors. Two groups of tests were designed and studied for rock sample fracturing. The main comparison and analysis were made between the distributed optical fiber testing technology and the MTS testing system in terms of the circumferential strain response curve and the evolution characteristics of strain with time. The strain characterization of distributed optical fiber in the process of rock fracturing was obtained. The results show that the ring strains measured by the distributed optical fiber sensor and the circumferential strain gauge were consistent, with a minimum ring strain error of 1.27%. The relationship between the strain jump or gradient band of the distributed optical fiber and the crack space on the sample surface is clear, which can reasonably determine the time of crack initiation and propagation, point out the location of the rock failure area, and provide precursory information about rock fracture. The distributed optical fiber strain sensor can realize the linear and continuous measurement of rock mass deformation, which can provide some reference for the study of macro damage evolution and the fracture instability prediction of field engineering rock mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]