About

Frederick Chester is a professor at Texas A&M University in the College of Arts and Sciences, within the Department of Geology & Geophysics. His research focuses on fracture, faulting, and friction in rock, the physics of earthquake sources, creep and consolidation in porous granular materials, and semibrittle flow. He enjoys conducting field work in structural geology, laboratory work in experimental rock deformation, and designing and fabricating high-pressure rock deformation instruments. His educational background includes a Ph.D. in Geophysics and an M.S. in Geology from Texas A&M University, as well as a B.A. in Geology/Geophysics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Chester is involved in research related to earthquake physics, experimental rock deformation, structural geology, and tectonophysics. He co-manages the John W. Handin Laboratory for Experimental Rock Deformation and is affiliated with the Center for Tectonophysics and the Southern California Earthquake Center.

Research topics

• Materials science
• Composite material
• Geotechnical engineering
• Geology
• Mechanics
• Metallurgy
• Mathematics
• Thermodynamics
• Mineralogy

Selected publications

• Decoupling Physical and Chemical Effects in Underground Hydrogen Storage: A Multiscale Evaluation of Carbonate and Shale Rocks

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2026-01-01

  preprintOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Velocity Dependence of Dynamic Rock Friction Modulated by Dynamic Rupture in High‐Speed Friction and Stick‐Slip Tests

  Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth · 2025-03-01

  articleSenior author

  Abstract Rock friction tests have made profound contributions to our understanding of earthquake processes. Most rock friction tests focused on fault strength evolution during velocity steps or at specific slip rates and the characteristics during stick‐slip events such as dynamic rupture propagation and the transition from stable sliding to instability, with little attention paid to the transient acceleration and deceleration periods. Here, we present Westerly Granite fault friction test results using a unique pneumatically powered apparatus with high acceleration of up to 50 g, focusing on the transient stages of fast fault acceleration and deceleration during both high‐speed sliding and stick‐slip events. Our data demonstrates the dominating velocity‐weakening behavior at transient stages of fault acceleration and deceleration, with a 1/V dependence for peak friction and deceleration lobe consistent with the flash‐heating model but with the acceleration lobe consistently deviating from the 1/V dependence. Our analysis of velocity‐dependent friction between dynamic rupture events, stick‐slips, and high‐speed friction tests reveals the significance of high acceleration in influencing transient fault weakening during dynamic weakening. We further demonstrate that the deviation of the friction‐velocity curve from the 1/V trend during fault acceleration is associated with the contribution of the dynamic rupturing process during the initiation of fault slip.

  PublisherDOI

• Investigating Dynamic Weakening in Laboratory Faults Using Multi‐Scale Flash Heating Coupled With mm‐Scale Contact Evolution

  Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth · 2023-12-01 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Flash‐weakening models typically show good agreement with the total magnitude of weakening in high‐speed rock friction experiments, however deviations during the acceleration and deceleration phases, and at low and intermediate sliding velocities, remain unresolved. Here, we incorporate inhomogeneous mm‐scale normal stress evolution into a model for flash heating and weakening to resolve outstanding transient and hysteretic friction observed in laboratory experiments and to identify unique solutions to constitutive parameters. We conduced 37 rock friction experiments on Westerly granite using a high‐speed biaxial apparatus outfitted with a high‐speed infrared camera. We initiated velocity steps from quasi‐static rates of 1 mm/s to sliding velocities ranging from 300 to 900 mm/s and conducted both constant‐ and decreasing‐velocity tests following the velocity step. Two sliding surfaces geometries were used to control mm‐scale life‐times and rest‐times. Constant‐strength sliding is achieved within 2–3 mm of initiating the velocity step in all constant‐velocity experiments. Macroscopic surface temperature is inhomogeneous and increases with slip distance, velocity, and decreasing rest‐time. Weakening increases with sliding velocity and decreasing rest‐time. We combine thermal models with measured surface temperatures to constrain the evolution of local normal stress at the mm‐scale and incorporate this evolution into a flash‐weakening model that considers weakening at both the µm‐ and mm‐scale. The flash‐weakening model improves when the effects of mm‐scale wear processes are incorporated and multi‐scale weakening is considered, however some transient friction remains undescribed. Models will be advanced by further incorporating wear processes and by considering processes at the mm‐scale and above.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Grain-boundary processes and semibrittle behavior of salt-rock

  2022-06-27

  book-chapter

  Grain-boundary microcracking, sliding, indentation, and healing have been shown to impact salt-rock bulk deformation. An improved understanding of the combined action of grain-boundary processes is necessary for accurate interpretation of salt-rock mechanical behavior in both natural and engineering contexts. We prepared granular, low-porosity, work-hardened salt-rocks (∼300 ppm water) for triaxial stress-cycling experiments at low confining pressure to investigate semibrittle behavior and effective stress. We used optical microscopy to characterize grain-scale structure. Semibrittle flow involves coupled grain-boundary sliding and wing-crack opening accommodated by indentation via intragranular dislocation glide. Grain-boundary sliding is frictional at higher strain rates, but the associated dispersion of water from fluid inclusions along boundaries can activate linear-viscous, fluid-assisted, diffusional sliding at lower strain rates (<10-8 s-1). The combined action of these mechanisms leads to pressureand time-dependent behaviors including anelasticity and hysteresis. In addition, we conducted cyclic poreand confining-pressure tests to demonstrate that during semibrittle flow, strength depends on differential pressure consistent with the Terzaghi’s effective stress law. This behavior may be explained by combined operation of pressure-independent intracrystalline-plastic mechanisms and transmission of pore pressure at grain boundaries via thin fluid films. Our study indicates coupled microprocesses are key to understanding semibrittle behavior of salt-rocks.

  PublisherDOI

• Estimating rock mechanical properties from microrebound measurements

  Engineering Geology · 2022 · 21 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Geotechnical engineering
  • Geology
  • Materials science
  PublisherDOI

• IODP Expedition 343, Hole C0019B - Well Logging Data

  Figshare · 2021-04-26

  dataset

  Logging data are measurements of physical properties of the formation surrounding a borehole, acquired in situ after completion of coring (wireline logging) or during drilling (Logging-While-Drilling, LWD). The range of data (resistivity, gamma radiation, velocity, density, borehole images,…) in any hole depends on the scientific objectives and operational constraints.

  DOI

• IODP Expedition 343, Hole C0019C - Well Logging Data

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2021-04-26

  datasetOpen access

  Logging data are measurements of physical properties of the formation surrounding a borehole, acquired in situ after completion of coring (wireline logging) or during drilling (Logging-While-Drilling, LWD). The range of data (resistivity, gamma radiation, velocity, density, borehole images,…) in any hole depends on the scientific objectives and operational constraints.

  PublisherDOI

• IODP Expedition 343, Hole C0019B - Well Logging Data

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2021-04-26

  datasetOpen access

  Logging data are measurements of physical properties of the formation surrounding a borehole, acquired in situ after completion of coring (wireline logging) or during drilling (Logging-While-Drilling, LWD). The range of data (resistivity, gamma radiation, velocity, density, borehole images,…) in any hole depends on the scientific objectives and operational constraints.

  PublisherDOI

• Coupled Brittle and Viscous Micromechanisms Produce Semibrittle Flow, Grain‐Boundary Sliding, and Anelasticity in Salt‐Rock

  Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth · 2021 · 16 citations

  • Materials science
  • Composite material

  Abstract The operation of fracture, diffusion, and intracrystalline‐plastic micromechanisms during semibrittle deformation of rock is directly relevant to understanding mechanical behavior across the brittle‐plastic transition in the crust. An outstanding question is whether (1) the micromechanisms of semibrittle flow can be considered to operate independently, as represented in typical crustal strength profiles across the brittle to plastic transition, or (2) the micromechanisms are coupled such that the transition is represented by a distinct rheology with dependency on effective pressure, temperature, and strain rate. We employ triaxial stress‐cycling experiments to investigate elastic‐plastic and viscoelastic behaviors during semibrittle flow in two distinctly different monomineralic, polycrystalline, synthetic salt‐rocks. During semibrittle flow at high differential stress, granular, low‐porosity, work‐hardened salt‐rocks deform predominantly by grain‐boundary sliding and wing‐crack opening accompanied by minor intragranular dislocation glide. In contrast, fully annealed, near‐zero porosity salt‐rocks flow at lower differential stress by intragranular dislocation glide accompanied by grain‐boundary sliding and opening. Grain‐boundary sliding is frictional during semibrittle flow at higher strain rates, but the associated dispersal of water from fluid inclusions along boundaries can activate fluid‐assisted diffusional sliding at lower strain rates. Changes in elastic properties with semibrittle flow largely reflect activation of sliding along closed grain boundaries. Observed microstructures, pronounced hysteresis and anelasticity during cyclic stressing after semibrittle flow, and stress relaxation behaviors indicate coupled operation of micromechanisms leading to a distinct rheology (hypothesis 2 above).

  PublisherDOI

• Test of the Effective Stress Law for Semibrittle Deformation Using Isostatic and Triaxial Load Paths

  Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth · 2021-04-01 · 1 citations

  article

  Abstract For brittle friction and rock deformation, the coefficient α in the general effective stress relation σ e = σ − αP p can be approximated as unity with sufficient accuracy. However, it is uncertain if α deviates from unity for semibrittle flow when both brittle and intracrystalline‐plastic deformation is involved. We conducted triaxial and isostatic compression experiments on synthetic salt‐rocks (∼300 ppm water) at room temperature to test the effective stress relation in the semibrittle regime using silicone oil and argon gas as pore fluids. Confining and pore pressures were cycled while their difference (differential pressure) was kept constant, such that changes in the mechanical behavior would indicate deviation of α from unity. Microstructural observations were used to determine the dependence of α on true area of grain contact from asperity yielding. In triaxial compression experiments, semibrittle flow involves grain boundary cracking and sliding, and intragranular dislocation glide and cracking. Flow strength remains constant for changes in pore fluid pressure of more than two orders of magnitude. In isostatic compression experiments, samples show combined processes of microcracking, grain boundary sliding, dislocation glide, and fluid‐assisted grain boundary migration recrystallization. Volumetric strain depends directly on the differential pressures (i.e., α equals one). Analysis of grain‐contact area in both experiments indicates that α is independent of the true area of contact defined by plastic yielding at grain boundaries. The observation of α effectively equals one may be explained by operation of pressure‐independent intracrystalline‐plastic mechanisms and transmission of pore pressure at grain boundaries through thin fluid films.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• MRI: Development of a high pressure and temperature, biaxial deformation apparatus for earthquake and landslide studies

  NSF · $687k · 2011–2017

• Experimental and Petrofabric Study of Hybrid Fractures and the Transition From Joints to Faults

  NSF · $300k · 2003–2007

• Collaborative Research: Salt Rock Microstructure and Deformation

  NSF · $199k · 2014–2018

Frequent coauthors

• J. S. Chester

  Texas A&M University

  71 shared

• Kohtaro Ujiie

  University of Tsukuba

  43 shared

• Sean Toczko

  41 shared

• James Mori

  Kyoto University

  35 shared

• Marianne Conin

  33 shared

• Gaku Kimura

  Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

  32 shared

• J. Casey Moore

  27 shared

• Olivier Fabbri

  Laboratoire Chrono-Environnement

  24 shared