Asymmetric off‐fault damage generated by bilateral ruptures along a bimaterial interface

We perform numerical simulations of spontaneous dynamic rupture governed by a slip‐weakening law along a bimaterial interface (fault) with off‐fault damage in the form of Coulomb plastic yielding. Off‐fault plastic yielding stabilizes the wrinkle‐like slip pulse in terms of a decreasing rate of slip velocity growth. With a variety of model parameters, ruptures on the fault are bilateral, while off‐fault plastic strain distribution between the two rupture directions is highly asymmetric.