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Crustal Physics (Earth Rheology, Shimizu) Lab
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The lab studies how earthquakes work through the flow of rocks and the friction of faults.
AboutAbout the lab
Even hard rock flows slowly deep underground.
Earth Rheology (Shimizu Lab) takes the standpoint of rheology, which studies the mechanical behavior of materials, such as flow, fracture, and friction, in terms of microscopic elementary physicochemical processes. From this standpoint, the lab investigates the mechanical properties of rocks in the Earth's interior and how deformation structures form.
The lab uses high-temperature, high-pressure experiments, microstructural analysis, and theoretical models.
The crustal physics subfield to which this lab belongs also covers research on how strong ground motion from large earthquakes is generated and how it can be predicted. The Strong Ground Motion research field of the Disaster Prevention Research Institute is involved as a field within this lab.
Key terms
- Rheology
- The study of how materials flow or break when force is applied to them
- Serpentinite
- A water-bearing rock of the mantle. Its properties change greatly when it releases water underground
- Friction constitutive law
- An equation that describes how the frictional strength of a fault changes with factors such as slip velocity
NewsLab news
View More ↗ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies the behavior of rocks in earthquake source zones through high-temperature, high-pressure deformation experiments and friction experiments.
*Illustrative imageThe role of water in earthquake source zones
In subduction zones, earthquakes occur even at depths far below the crust. The lab focuses on water cycling, such as the dehydration reactions of serpentinite, a hydrous mantle material. It determines the stress-strain relationship through high-temperature, high-pressure deformation experiments and investigates the elementary physicochemical processes of deformation.
*Illustrative imageFriction constitutive laws of faults
It has become clear that hydrous minerals such as clay minerals and serpentinite have markedly low friction coefficients. The lab has developed a friction testing apparatus with the highest pressure capacity in the world, and aims to understand the physical meaning of friction constitutive laws from the elementary processes at fault contact surfaces.
MembersFaculty
The members of Earth Rheology (Shimizu Lab) are faculty, doctoral and master's students, and undergraduates.As of 2026
- ProfessorKimiyuki Asano
- Associate ProfessorIchiko Shimizu
- Associate ProfessorTomohisa Okazaki
- Associate ProfessorHaruko Sekiguchi
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “FaultGouge” Qfl247 (talk) (Transferred by Citypeek/Original uploaded by Qfl247) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- The role of water in earthquake source zones: “Serpentinite (New Idria Serpentinite, Middle Miocene, ~14 Ma; Green Fire Mine, California, USA) 9” James St. John / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Friction constitutive laws of faults: “Canones fault” Kent G. Budge / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Seismology Lab): “Historischer Seismograph” Ilyacadiz / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Earth Tectonics Lab): “Weathered growth rings at Aztec Ruins National Monument” Michael Gäbler / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Earth Biosphere History (Ubukata, Geology and Mineralogy) Lab): “Ammonite Pavement” RealGatba / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Earth's Interior Electromagnetism Lab (Toh, World Data Center for Geomagnetism)): “"The Natural Wonder of the South- Taal Volcano"” Robertmarrel / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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