Earthquake Simulator

Abstract—This is an interactive earthquake simulator codedin C to mimic tectonic stress buildup along fault lines ina simplified 2D setting. Earthquakes, caused by the suddenrelease of the built-up stress along geological faults, pose aworldwide threat. To encourage a greater understanding ofthese phenomena, this simulator allows users to define arbitraryfault line geometries—including vertical, horizontal, circular, andpoint-to-point configurations—and observe how stress builds upand results in seismic activity. The simulation is implemented ontwo 20×20 grids: one representing user-defined fault lines andthe other observing evolving stress levels. A stress accumulationalgorithm incrementally increases cell values over time, triggeringearthquakes when values exceed a threshold. ANSI color codeand terminal-based visualization distinguishes stress intensityfrom seismic activity, thus making the simulation engaging andeducative. While prior works in earthquake modeling emphasizemachine learning, real-time monitoring, and predictive accuracy,this project focuses on customization and the unpredictabilityof earthquakes. The simulator offers a simple framework forlearning tectonic dynamics and stress behavior by visual andinteractive means.