Effects of temperature and strain rate on fracture strength of rocks are studied based on available experiment data, and a new empirical formula for the fracture strength of some typical rocks in the lithosphere is obtained. The effects of the confining pressure, size of rock samples, temperature and strain rate are taken into account in this formula so that it can further reveal the actual fracture states in the lithosphere. Application of the new empirical formula to the Ordos block shows that the conventional rheological model overestimates the rheological strength and misinterpret rheological deformation mechanisms in the lithosphere. The brittle regime in the rheological structure calculated from the new formula can be divided into two sub-regions in which frictional sliding or brittle fracture is dominant, respectively. The magnitude of the rheological strength is decreased and the area of the brittle regime is enlarged when more representative rocks and effect of the strain rate are taken into account.