title: The Mechanics of Earthquakes and Faulting (2nd Edition)
author:  Christopher H. Scholz 
description: "This thick paperback is fun to read. It brings the reader a thorough and up-to-date overview of the field of faulting and earthquake mechanisms, with ample examples of the theory it explains." The Leading Edge<br /><br />"Scholz has done the rock mechanics community a real service with this fine volume." Geophysics<br /><br />"This text is well-illustrated and contains an exhaustive list of references." MCEER Info Service News<br /><br />"Scholz provides an excellent, succinct discussion of seismic moment. It has extensive well-written descriptions of examples." <br />Jeffrey R. Keaton
zlib_text: Earthquakes and LandSlides 
  
  Topics 
  • Causes - tectonics and faults 
  • Magnitude - energy and intensity 
  • Earthquake geography  
  • Seismic hazards - shaking, etc. 
  • Recurrence - frequency and regularity 
  • Prediction? 
  • Mitigation and preparedness 
   
  
  Introduction and Causes 
  • Earthquake is the rapid vibration of ground caused by the 
  sudden fracture and movement of large segments of rocks in 
  the earth’s crust. 
   
  • Earthquakes cause extensive damage to man-made structures 
  such as buildings, dams, and bridges and trigger landslides, 
  avalanche, and fl ash fl ood resulting in loss of property and 
  lives. 
   
  • Earthquakes are caused by sudden release of strain energy 
  that rocks had accumulated over prolonged time of many 
  thousands of years. Rupture of the earth’s crust along some 
  faults results in earthquakes. 
  
  Causes - Elastic Rebound Model 
  The rocks around the faults are weak and hence they are 
  broken easily. 
  Powerful forces compress the rocks along a fault for a 
  prolong