Cretaceous stress field evolution and origin of the Jiaolai Basin, Eastern North China

The Jiaolai Basin, to the east of the Tan-Lu Fault Zone (TLFZ), is a Cretaceous NE-trending basin in eastern North China and has a multi-episodic evolution. Different from other contemporary NW-trending en-echelon graben systems west to the TLFZ, the origin of the Jiaolai Basin (three episodes: K(1)l, 135-120 Ma; K-2q, 120-105 Ma; K-2w, 88-65 Ma) cannot be simply explained by the sinistral displacement of the TLFZ at the beginning of the Early Cretaceous (around ca. 135 Ma). The purpose of this paper is to investigate the critical factors (e.g., bounding faults, tectonic setting, stress field) driving the development of the Jiaolai Basin and constraint its evolution. Three episodes of two-dimensional finite element models were generated in order to determine the roles of the boundary conditions and to reveal the tectonic development of the basin. When compared to the calculated maximum horizontal compressive stress (sigma H-max) trajectories and the observed data, along with a comparison between the Von Mises Stress (u(Von)) and the depocenters of the basin, the calculated results can be well proved by the geological evidence both in stress field evolution and in the basin patterns. Our analysis show that the three episodes of the maximum principle stress trajectories changed from NE-SW (earlier Early Cretaceous, K-1l) NNE-SSW (later Early Cretaceous, K-1q) then E-W (Late Cretaceous, K-2w). Moreover, the results show a good consistency between the u(von) and the depocenters in the basin through geological cross-sections. Via models we suggest that the origin and evolution of the Jiaolai Basin were controlled by three episodes of tectonic events, (i) the reactivated bounding faults and the post-orogenic extension of the Sulu Orogen during the earlier Early Cretaceous, (ii) the lithospheric delamination of the thickened lithosphere during the later Early Cretaceous, and (iii) the likely far-field effects produced by the collision between the Kohistan-Drags arc complex and Asia during the Late Cretaceous. The Jiaolai Basin evolved from extension to pull-apart experiencing volcanic activity during the three episodes of the Cretaceous.