Abstract: The interaction between parallel strike-slip faults and its effect on seismicity in visco-elastic model is investigated. The slipping along a strike-slip fault would lead to shear stress reduction on parallel fault planes, and delay the slip occurrence along the parallel faults (i. e. seismicity reductio n effect). The delay time would range from several years to several hundreds years, which depends on the distance between the slipping fault and parallel faults, and the elapse time of stress accumulatio n process on parallel faults.

Key words: Viscosity medium, Fault interaction, Delay time of earthquake ccurrence, Seismic hazard estimation