Computational strategies for predictive geology with reference to salt tectonics Original Research Article

This work is concerned with aspects of computational strategies for predictive geology with particular reference to the field of salt tectonics. The computational approach is based on the Lagrangian methodology incorporating: (i) large deformations of inelastic solids at finite strains, (ii) constitutive models for generic inelastic materials suitable for description of simultaneously active elasto-plastic, viscoplastic and viscoelastic behaviour, (iii) an adaptive strategy for modelling of large deformations of inelastic solids at finite strains. Apart from its economic importance, salt tectonics, and in particular formation of salt diapirs, is considered to be representative for many geological processes in the Earth’s crust. A number of numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the scope and benefits of the developed computational approach. These include the formation of the salt diapirs due to (i) compression and folding, (ii) thin skinned extension, and (iii) simulation of salt diapirism due to progradation on a basin scale.