Christopher Spiers
Earth Sciences - Experimental rock deformation
Utrecht University
Netherlands
Biography
Prof. Christopher (Chris) Spiers is Professor of Earth Materials - and Head of the High Pressure and Temperature Laboratory - in the Department of Earth Sciences at the Faculty of Geosciences at Utrecht University. He specialises in research on the mechanical and transport properties of rock materials under conditions that characterise the Earth’s crust and upper mantle, and the effects that fluid-rock interactions have on these properties. Prof. Spiers was born and educated in the U.K. graduating with his BSc and PhD from Imperial College, London. He worked as a Miller Fellow for a number of years thereafter at the University of California at Berkeley, before moving to The Netherlands and to Utrecht University, where he established the HPT Laboratory.
Research Interest
Earth Structure and Dynamics
Publications
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Verberne, B. A., De Bresser, J. H. P., Niemeijer, A. R., and Spiers, C. J. Frictional-to-viscous transition in simulated calcite fault gouge sheared at 20-600°C: Implications for seismogenesis in limestones.
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Chen J., and Spiers C.J. Rate and state frictional and healing behavior of carbonate fault gouge explained using microphysical model.
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Chen J., Verberne B. A., and Spiers C.J. Effects of healing on the seismogenic potential of carbonate fault rocks: Experiments on samples from the Longmenshan Fault, Sichuan, China.
