A Laboratory Perspective on the Gutenberg‐Richter and Characteristic Earthquake Models

Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) is the standard method used for designing earthquake‐resistant infrastructure. In recent years, several unexpected and destructive earthquakes have sparked criticism of the PSHA methodology. The seismological part of the problem is the true frequency‐magnitude distribution of regional seismicity. Two major models exist, the Gutenberg‐Richter (G‐R) and the Characteristic Earthquake (CE) model, but it...