Despite intensive research, scientists cannot predict when and where the next major earthquake will occur. With their ERC Synergy project Fault Activation and Earthquake Rupture (FEAR), a consortium of scientists from ETH Zurich, RWTH Aachen University, and the Instituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia in Italy want to better understand the physics of earthquake processes. The new findings will also be used to advance experiments on the safe use of geo-energy and to improve the predictability of earthquakes.

FEAR will take place in the BedrettoLab, where the researchers will attempt to generate an earthquake rupture with a length of 10-100m (magnitude ~1.0), under controlled conditions and at a depth of more than one kilometer. They will use a dense network of various sensor types to monitor the rupture preparation phase, as well as the rupture process itself and the post-rupture response of the rock mass, with great detail and from close up.

(Source: FEAR Website)