Lithospheric block-and-fault dynamics modelling: What did we learn about large earthquake occurrences and seismic hazard? (by invitation)

Understanding of lithosphere dynamics, tectonic stress localisation, and large earthquake occurrences would assist in seismic hazard assessments. Numerical modelling of lithosphere dynamics and earthquake simulations have been changing our view about localisations of large earthquakes in a system of major regional faults and about the recurrence time of the earthquakes. Here we overview the thirty-year efforts in modelling of lithospheric block-and-fault dynamics allowing to study how the blocks react to the
lithospheric plate motion, how stresses are localised and released in earthquakes, where large seismic events occur, what is the recurrence time of these events, and how fault zones properties influence the earthquake dynamics. A few key factors influencing the earthquake sequences, clustering, and magnitude are identified
including lithospheric plate driving forces, the geometry of fault zones, and their physical properties. We illustrate the effects of the key factors by analysing block-and-fault dynamics models applied to earthquake-prone regions.