Alexis Sáez

GPS Division, Caltech. saez@caltech.edu

prof_pic.jpg

Office 313, North Mudd Building, Pasadena, CA 91125

Welcome! I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at Caltech, working with Prof. Jean-Philippe Avouac. Before coming here, I obtained my PhD in Mechanics (Dec.2023) from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), where I was advised by Prof. Brice Lecampion.

My doctoral research focused primarily on the mechanics of fluid-driven frictional ruptures and their applications to injection-induced seismicity. While I keep working and collaborating with colleagues around these topics, I have currently switched my attention largely to some other interesting problems in earthquake science. By combining theory and observations, I am trying to better constrain the physical mechanisms underlying slow earthquakes and the segmentation of slow and fast ruptures along major plate-tectonic boundaries, among various other topics.

In general, my research uses tools of theoretical and computational continuum (solid and fluid) mechanics to understand the mechanical behavior of the subsurface, in relation to problems associated with the development of underground technologies for the energy transition such as deep geothermal energy and geological carbon storage, and the mitigation of geo-hazards such as earthquakes. I inform these physical models with data from both laboratory experiments and geophysical observations.

news

Sep 06, 2024 New pre-print of my PhD work! Interested in how big injection-induced slow slip events can be? Link
Apr 01, 2024 Today, I have joined the team of Prof. Jean-Philippe Avouac at Caltech. Looking forward to new reserch adventures!
Jan 01, 2024 Happy to start my 3-month postdoctoral research stay with Prof. Dmitry Garagash at Dalhousie University.
Dec 05, 2023 My PhD thesis is now published Link
Dec 01, 2023 I successfully defended my doctoral thesis today! 🥳
Nov 28, 2023 My third PhD article is now available in the Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids. We unraveled some fundamental, theoretical aspects on the way how faults slide aseismically and seismically due to fluid injections in 3D. Find further details with open access here: Link.
Sep 01, 2023 Today, I have started my 6-month research stay at ERI, the University of Tokyo!
Jul 19, 2023 I am in the Swiss news talking about our work on post-injection-induced seismicity 🤓

selected publications

  1. PhD-thesis.pdf
    Three-dimensional fluid-driven frictional ruptures: theory and applications
    Alexis Sáez
    2023