Knowledge of the present-day crustal in-situ stress field is a key for the understanding of geodynamic processes such as global plate tectonics and earthquakes. It is also essential for the management of geo-reservoirs and underground storage sites for energy and waste. Since 1986, the World Stress Map (WSM) project has systematically compiled the orientation of maximum horizontal stress (). For the 30th anniversary of the project, the WSM database has been updated significantly with 42,870 data records, which is double the amount of data in comparison to the database release in 2008. The update focuses on areas with previously sparse data coverage to resolve the stress pattern on different spatial scales. In this paper, we present details of the new WSM database release 2016 and an analysis of global and regional stress pattern. With the higher data density, we can now resolve stress pattern heterogeneities from plate-wide to local scales. In particular, we show two examples of 40°-60° rotations within 70 km. These rotations can be used as proxies to better understand the relative importance of plate boundary forces that control the long wave-length pattern in comparison to regional and local controls of the crustal stress state. In the new WSM project phase IV that started in 2017, we will continue to further refine the information on the orientation and the stress regime. However, we will also focus on the compilation of stress magnitude data as this information is essential for the calibration of geomechanical-numerical models. This enables us to derive a 3-D continuous description of the stress tensor from point-wise and incomplete stress tensor information provided with the WSM database. Such forward models are required for safety aspects of anthropogenic activities in the underground and for a better understanding of tectonic processes such as the earthquake cycle.

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The World Stress Map (WSM) is a global compilation of information on the present-day crustal in situ stress within the upper 40 km of the lithosphere. It is a collaborative project between academia and industry that aims to characterize the crustal stress pattern and to understand the causes of these stresses. The present-day stress information in the WSM database is derived from a variety of methods, primarily earthquake focal mechanism, borehole breakouts and drilling-induced tensile fractures (from borehole image or multi-arm caliper log data), in situ stress measurements (overcoring, hydraulic fracturing), and geologic indicators such as fault slip and volcanic vent alignment. The in situ stress information in the WSM database is compiled in a standardized format and quality-ranked for reliability and comparability on a global scale.