For more than seven decades, the impounding of artificial water reservoirs has been known to trigger earthquakes. Accordingly, reservoir-induced seismicity (RIS) has been studied in terms of its identification and mechanisms. In this paper, we report three laboratory experiments to investigate the effects of water impoundment and pore-pressure diffusion on the reactivation of faults in high tectonic stress areas. Results showed that when the horizontal stress is larger than the vertical stress, according to the Mohr–Coulomb criterion, pore-pressure diffusion might be the main factor inducing seismicity instead of the undrained stress compression. The diffusion and oscillation of pore pressure are the controlling factors in triggering the activation of faults and releasing the elastic energy. The Mohr–Coulomb criterion is consistent in describing the critical damage pore pressure of the pre-existing faults; however, it fails to judge whether a fault is in a stable or unstable state after the pore pressure increases. The hydraulic energy from the injection pressure and volume of water is strongly related to the moment magnitude of the induced seismicity owing to pore-pressure diffusion. Moreover, the fault can be transformed from an unstable state into a stable state after continuous seismic events. The enhancement of fault permeability due to the seismic events can promote the fluid flow through fractures and influence the seepage field around the reservoir.

超过七十年来，人工蓄水池的蓄积引发地震。因此，已经从储层诱发的地震活动性（RIS）的识别和机理方面进行了研究。在本文中，我们报告了三个实验室实验，以研究积水和孔隙压力扩散对高构造应力区断层的活化的影响。结果表明，当水平应力大于垂直应力时，根据Mohr–Coulomb准则，孔隙压力扩散可能是引起地震活动的主要因素，而不是不排水的应力压缩。孔隙压力的扩散和振荡是触发断层活化和释放弹性能的控制因素。Mohr-Coulomb准则在描述先前存在的断层的临界破坏孔隙压力方面是一致的。但是，在孔隙压力增加后，无法判断断层是处于稳定状态还是不稳定状态。由于孔隙压力的扩散，注入压力和水的体积产生的水力能量与引起的地震活动的弯矩大小密切相关。而且，在连续的地震事件之后，断层可以从不稳定状态转变为稳定状态。由于地震事件而引起的断层渗透率的增强可以促进流体通过裂缝流动并影响储层周围的渗流场。由于孔隙压力的扩散，注入压力和水的体积产生的水力能量与引起的地震活动的弯矩大小密切相关。而且，在连续的地震事件之后，断层可以从不稳定状态转变为稳定状态。由于地震事件而引起的断层渗透率的增强可以促进流体通过裂缝流动并影响储层周围的渗流场。由于孔隙压力的扩散，注入压力和水的体积产生的水力能量与引起的地震活动的弯矩大小密切相关。而且，在连续的地震事件之后，断层可以从不稳定状态转变为稳定状态。由于地震事件而引起的断层渗透率的增强可以促进流体通过裂缝流动并影响储层周围的渗流场。