The characteristics of tectonic stress field about strike slip earthquake-generating structure in the Chinese mainland

Abstract

This paper is one of the series papers about the study on strike-slip earthquake-generating structure in the Chinese mainland. In the first part of this paper, based on the large amount of data from large earthquake investigation and the latest results of focal mechanism, the earthquake-generating structure in the Chinese mainland interior and its neighbouring region is discussed. It is concluded that the absolutely predominated earthquake, not only in number, but also in intensity, as well as in distributing area, is strike slip earthquake, and it is further stressed that the study on the strike slip earthquake-generating structure is significant for seismic risk analysis. In the second part, the characteristics of tectonic stress field about strike slip earthquake-generating structure and the compiled distribution outline of strike slip earthquake-generating fault, normal fault, and thrust fault in the Chinese mainland interior and its neighbouring region, in the light of stress characteristics of fault plane solutions, are also discussed.