Design and Optimization of a GPS Network for Fault Studies

In this paper a monitoring GPS network has been designed for Bam fault in order to estimate the fault-model parameters, slip-rate and locking-depth, as accurately as possible. We integrated geological constraints to the optimization problem which limits the site locating. The optimization algorithm determines suitable places which are stable enough for setting GPS stations. The optimization tool is the genetic algorithm based on the principle of genetics as an intelligent method which gives the capacity of defining combined objective functions to optimize the geometry of the network for various applications. The numerical example shows that the fault-model must be considered in the fault monitoring network design.