The Tectonic Inversion Prediction in Fold-and-Thrust Belts by Using Numerical Modeling

Abstract

This research investigates tectonic inversion in rifted continental margins, specifically focusing on the interaction between foreland sediment deposits and fold-and-thrust belts during orogeny. Using numerical modeling with ANSYS-2023 R1 software and a Maxwell-type viscoelastic rheology, the study explores positive inversion in petroleum basins, revealing insights into the evolution of inverted basins. The research emphasizes the role of pre-existing extensional fault systems in controlling thrust faults, delving into the reactivation of faults and uplift of the hanging wall during tectonic compression. The study highlights diverse structural patterns associated with tectonic inversion in sub-thrust regions of fold-and-thrust belts, including anticlines, back-thrusts, fault propagation folds, pop-up, and an inversion-related fracture pattern. Results demonstrate the critical influence of rheological properties in fault reactivation and deformational styles during tectonic inversion. Comparisons with natural case studies, like the Helvetic nappes in Switzerland, validate the predictive capability of numerical models for tectonic inversion structures in different geological settings, including the Kohat-Potwar Fold and Thrust Belt in Pakistan. We find important of understanding interplay between geological structures and rheological properties for accuracy of predicting evolution of inverted basins. The deeply study of tectonic inversion are extending to optimizing exploration efforts and interpreting structural complexities in petroleum exploration, providing valuable insights for reservoir prediction and fold-and-thrust belt structural evolution.