The Gulf of Corinth is a complex graben structure within the extensional regime which characterises the Aegean region since Miocene. At the present, the Gulf of Corinth is one of the most rapidly extending rifts in the world with an average extension rate between 4 and 14 mm/year. Within the present study, the tectonic fabric of the Gulf of Corinth was evaluated by means of satellite image interpretation and fieldwork observations which revealed a dense tectonic fabric and two successive orthogonal faults systems. The stress field of the Gulf of Corinth was determined by evaluating the azimuthal distribution of the tectonic lineaments and by analysing the fault kinematic data (lineations) collected in the field. Two successive stress regimes were recognized which correspond to the aforementioned fault systems. The dense tectonic fabric has a particular impact on the frequent manifestation of the landslides in the area of the Gulf of Corinth. This impact was investigated in a selected area and the investigation showed a strong dependency of the spatial and azimuthal distribution of the landslides on the presence of faults. Within the present study, it was achieved to in-situ monitor the displacement behaviour of representative faults at the Gulf of Corinth by using a 3D technique. This task was carried out by installing moiré extensometers and Bragg-Grating extensometers were at three fault monitoring sites along the Pisia-Shinos fault zone which is located at the Perachora peninsula (eastern termination of the Gulf of Corinth). The monitoring of fault displacements lasted between 12 and 42 months depending on the monitoring site. The measured displacements and displacement trends at each monitoring site are, in general, consistent with the local extensional stress field. The registered displacement trends evolved rather independently from the contemporaneous microseismic activity, thus it can be stated that the fault displacements have a creeping character. Finally, the extension rate across the eastern extremity of the Gulf of Corinth is determined by taking into consideration the number of major faults in the area and their potential degree of activity and by extrapolating the most representative measurements to a regional scale. In addition, an average horizontal extension rate the major north dipping faults at the eastern Gulf of Corinth is proposed. |