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Evaluating Stress Transfer on the Puente Hills Fault Due to Earthquakes on Nearby Source Faults in Southern California

Stress transfer resulting from fault rupture during earthquakes is commonly reported in and around active plate boundaries. Such processes can have significant consequences in densely populated urban regions, such as Southern California, where they not only adversely affect infrastructure but are also capable of leaving lasting societal impacts. The Los Angeles Basin in Southern California is tectonically active and has generated earthquakes of varying magnitudes over time. The structural complexity of the basin is further increased by the frequent occurrence of both known and unknown faults of various types, including normal, reverse, and strike-slip faults.
The primary objective of this study is to develop a stress transfer model for the Puente Hills Fault (PHF) resulting from earthquakes triggered by nearby source faults. The Puente Hills Fault is a blind thrust fault that was not identified until 1999, during research conducted following the Northridge earthquake. The fault consists of three segments: the Los Angeles segment, the Santa Fe Springs segment, and the Coyote Hills segment, arranged from north to south.
We use Coulomb 3.3 to evaluate stress transfer effects caused by earthquakes on nearby source faults that may or may not trigger rupture on the Puente Hills Fault. Preliminary results indicate that the Chino Hills Fault (CHF) has no significant influence on the PHF, whereas the Newport–Inglewood Fault (NIF) could potentially trigger rupture on all segments of the PHF. In contrast, the San Jose Fault (SJF) produces variable stress patterns depending on focal depth. Ongoing work focuses on assessing the effects of additional nearby source faults, including the Whittier, San Andreas, and San Gabriel faults, on the Puente Hills Fault.

Session: Southern California Seismicity: Past, Present and Future [Poster]

Type: Poster

Room: Exhibit Hall A+B

Date: 4/17/2026

Presentation Time: 08:00 AM (local time)

Presenting Author: Ann Olesh

Student Presenter: Yes

Invited Presentation: 

Poster Number: 154

Additional Authors