Australian Crustal Stress from Earthquakes and In-Situ Measurements, 1967-1979

Geoscience Australia Data provides evidence on horizontal compressive stress within the Australian continent. The dataset includes focal mechanisms from eight earthquakes since 1967 and in-situ stress measurements from mines, tunnels, and quarry floors across multiple states. Measurements from a 200 km north-south traverse and sites in New South Wales during 1978-1979 indicate principal stress orientations and magnitudes up to 23 MPa.

Use Cases

• Model regional stress fields based on earthquake focal mechanism data.
• Validate plate tectonic models against in-situ stress measurement orientations.
• Assess seismic hazard by analyzing spatial patterns of compressive stress magnitude.
• Compare stress orientations between eastern and western regions of New South Wales as described.

Strengths

• Includes data from eight earthquakes with reliable focal mechanism determinations.
• Reports specific stress magnitudes, such as 23 MPa and 4 MPa, from measured locations.
• Covers a 200 km north-south traverse and multiple sites across New South Wales.
• Combines evidence from earthquakes, in-situ measurements, and surface deformations.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data files are in PDF and HTML formats, which may require extraction for analysis.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia Data

Collection Method

In-situ stress measurements (over-coring) in mines, tunnels, and quarry floors, combined with earthquake focal mechanism analysis.

Time Range

1967 to 1979

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-20 03:38:42.890290; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Australian continent, including specific sites in Western Australia and New South Wales.