Physical Simulation Laboratory

The Physical Simulation Laboratory includes:

• A high acceleration centrifuge (1000 g) that allows the deformation of modelling putties and silicones to simulate the deformation of rocks in extension and shortening, also taking into account gravitational instabilities (e.g. to be able to simulate diapirism and channel flow in nature).
• Sandboxes that are used to simulate the brittle or brittle-ductile deformation of rocks and the evolution of sedimentary basins and fold and thrust belts.
• Other large modelling tanks allow the use of ductile, viscous and brittle materials to study lithospheric-scale deformation and the impingement of mantle plumes, etc. Strain calculations are carried out by PIV imaging.

Santolaria, P., Harris, L.B., Casas, A.M., Soto, R. (2022) Influence of décollement-cover thickness variations in fold-and-thrust belts: Insights from centrifuge analog modeling. Journal of Structural Geology, 163: 104704.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsg.2022.104704

Godin, L., Soucy La Roche, R.,  Waffle, L.,  Harris, L.B. (2018)  Influence of inherited Indian basement faults on the evolution of the Himalayan Orogen. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 481: 251 – 276.
DOI: 10.1144/SP481.4

Harris, L.B., Godin, L.,Yakymchuk, C. (2012) Regional shortening followed by channel flow induced collapse: a new mechanism for “dome and keel” geometries in Neoarchaean granite-greenstone terrains. Precambrian Research, 212-213: 139–154.
DOI: 10.1016/j.precamres.2012.04.022

Yakymchuk, C., Harris, L.B., Godin, L. (2012) Centrifuge modelling of deformation of a multi-layered sequence over a ductile substrate: 1. Style and 4D geometry of active cover folds during layer-parallel shortening. International Journal of Earth Sciences, 101: 463-482.
DOI: 10.1007/s00531-011-0682-y

The Physical Simulation Laboratory was set up with funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).