Intraplate Stress Analysis by COMSOL Multiphysics

G. Swetha, G. Pavankumar, and A. Manglik
National Geophysical Research Institute
Hyderabad
Andhra Pradesh, India
Published in 2011

Mathematical modeling tools are extensively used in Geosciences to delineate the earth structure at various spatial scales as well as to simulate coupled earth processes involving multiphysics concepts. COMSOL, a Multiphysics finite element method based numerical modeling package, can be used to analyze complex systems like earth where various physical parameters are involved and interlinked.

In the present work, we demonstrate the application of COMSOL for the computation of elastic intraplate stresses in the continental crust. Understanding the stress state of continental crust is important for earthquake studies. We have computed intraplate stresses due to density heterogeneities and mechanical property variations for a model of the continental crust, delineated by geophysical techniques along the NW-SE trending Nagaur-Jhalawar profile, and validated our computations with the published results.

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