地殼承受構造運動的擠壓或拉伸，使其內部應力改變，造成變形及產生各種類型的斷層滑動。若將斷塊視為剛體，則在斷層滑動之前，地殼會達成暫時的極限平衡狀態。本研究蒐集世界各地的地應力量測資料，利用這一些資料檢驗不同地殼應力極限模型（stress constraint model）的適用性，並探討不同地體構造區的應力特性。 本研究亦蒐集世界各地之地震與地質相關資料，並利用新期斷層型態、地體構造特性及地殼內部地震震源機制，完成新的應力架構分區。將地殼分為壓縮應力區、伸張應力區與穩定區三區，並探討各區的地應力量測資料特性，比較不同應力極限模型的適用性。 研究結果發現，以蒙脫土剪力強度做為斷層強度所建構之應力極限模型，較為接近實際的應力量測資料。近地表部份受殘餘應力等因素影響，資料分布較為零亂，顯示K1值雖有偏高的現象，但大部份資料仍不超過以Byerlee’s law考慮靜水壓所建構的的應力極限範圍，越深處的應力資料越能符合以蒙脫土強度建構之應力極限模型。 就K值而言，在壓縮區，最大水平應力對垂直應力之比值K1一般介於1.4至2.2之間。在伸張區，最小水平應力對垂直應力之比值K2一般介於0.4至0.7之間。在穩定區，K1通常小於1.4且K2一般大於0.7。 The stress field of earth crust changes in response to tectonic compression and extension and results in deformation and various kinds of faulting. If we assume that the earth crust would reach a limit equilibrium state before faults start to failure, a stress constrain model could be found by adopting a proper fault strength model. Worldwide in-situ stress measurement data were collected and used for validating different stress constraint model and for studying the stress characteristics of different stress regime. A zoning of stress regime were constructed according to the neotectonic fault type, tectonics and structure characteristics, and focal mechanism data collected by this study. We divided the earth crust into three kinds of tectonic stress regimes: compressional regime, extensional regime and stable area. The characteristics of in-situ stress in a stress regime were studied and the application of different stress constraint model were discussed. Results show that the stress constraint model based on an undrained shear strength of montmorillonite fits better with the in-situ stress measurement data. These shallow-depth stress data are affected by residual stresses and other effects and are more scattered, but most values are still within the stress constrain model given by Byerlee’s friction law. Those stress measurement data collected from deeper depth fits better with the stress constraint model constructed by the strength of montmorillonite. The ratio of the maximum horizontal stress to vertical stress K1 usually ranged from 1.4 to 2.2 in compression regime and the ratio of the minimum horizontal stress to vertical stress K2 usually ranged from 0.4 to 0.7 in extension regime. In stable regime, K1 is usually below 1.4, and K2 is usually over 0.7.
