If stress continues to act on a geological fault, it can lead to a reverse fault or a thrust fault, depending on the nature of the stress. In a reverse fault, the hanging wall moves up relative to the footwall due to compressional stress. This movement occurs as the Earth's crust is pushed together, often resulting in the formation of mountains or uplifted terrains. If the stress exceeds the material strength of the rocks, it can result in sudden failure and an earthquake.
When shear stress exceeds the shear strength of a material, it can cause the material to deform or fracture. This type of fault is often associated with strike-slip earthquakes, where two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally. The most famous example of this type of fault is the San Andreas Fault in California.
Normal fault
A fault that forms as a result of shear stress is called a strike-slip fault. In this type of fault, the rocks on either side of the fault move horizontally past one another, typically along a vertical or near-vertical fault plane. Strike-slip faults are often associated with tectonic plate boundaries, such as transform boundaries, where lateral movement occurs. An example of a well-known strike-slip fault is the San Andreas Fault in California.
In a normal fault, the hanging wall moves down relative to the footwall, resulting in extensional strain. This type of fault forms in response to tensional stress in the Earth's crust, such as the pulling apart of tectonic plates.
The movement of huge blocks of rock along a fault can produce earthquakes. As the blocks slide past each other, accumulated stress is released in the form of seismic waves, causing the ground to shake. These earthquakes can range in magnitude and impact depending on the size and type of fault involved.
Tensional stress from divergent plate boundaries causes a normal fault to form. This stress pulls rocks apart along a fault line, causing the hanging wall to drop relative to the footwall.
Tectonic shear stress.
Reverse!
In a reverse fault the maximum principal stress is horizontal, compression causes reverse (thrust) faults.
shearing
The type of tectonic stress that forms fault-block mountains is known as extensional stress. This stress occurs when the Earth's lithosphere is being pulled apart, causing blocks of crust to move vertically. As the blocks are uplifted and tilted along fault lines, fault-block mountains are created.
Fault ... ;)
Strike-slip Faults
A reverse fault may form when rocks are compressed.
tension (Dip-Slip Normal fault)
Folding is usually the result of compressional stress. This may also cause thrust / reverse faults.
The type of stress force that produces a strike-slip fault is transform stress. This stress occurs when two tectonic plates slide past each other horizontally, causing displacement along a fault line. Strike-slip faults are often associated with transform plate boundaries, such as the San Andreas Fault in California.