Influencing factors and evaluation application of regional crustal stability in the Bohai Strait

Due to the extremely complex geological conditions in the Bohai Strait, active faults is very developed and earthquake activity occurs frequently. It is of great importance to evaluate the regional crustal stability for the planning and construction of the Trans-straits Passage. In this study, the authors carry out the evaluation by means of buffer analysis, topology analysis and overlay analysis based on ArcGIS software. The evaluation mainly analyzed six assessment factors of Bohai Strait including neotectonic activity, active faults distribution, seismicity, tectonic stress fields, Bouguer gravity anomaly and geological disasters. In brief, the crustal stability of the eastern North Yellow Sea Basin is best, while that of the Bohai Basin and southwest Bohai Strait is poor. Meanwhile, small and frequent earthquakes in the southern Strait and geological disasters developed in the northern and central Strait such as tidal ridge and shallow gas which may adversely impact on the Trans-straits Passage construction.