Physical modeling of structures by oblique compression and its implication for formation of structures in the Yanqi Basin, northwestern China

A sandbox model with rigid border,homogeneously contraction base and oblique compression is prepared to investigate the formation of structures in the Yanqi Basin.The experimental results indicate that both border orientation and compression direction control the direction of stuctures in a compression region suffering oblique compression.But the border orientation acts more obvious.Oblique compression is not completely equal to transpressional deformation.Although oblique compression possesses strike-slip deformation component,it does not surely produce faults of obvious strike-slip movement because the strike-ship deformation component is homogeneously permeated in deformation area. Based on the experimental result, it is proposed that oblique compression mechanism can be used to better explain the formation of structures in basins just like the Yanqi Basin.