Redistribution of recent collision push and ridge push in Central Europe: insights from FEM Modelling.

2-D elastic finite element models of the recent stress field of Central Europe are built to evaluate the loads exerted on the continental boundary and the magnitude of tectonic stresses within the continental part of the plate. The models comprise 24 tectonic blocks (their stiffness is either constant throughout the model or varies from block to block), 16 fault zones and 12 geologically significant boundary segments. We have obtained a relatively unique balance of external tectonic forces by (1) careful adjustment of calculated stress directions and regimes to complex pattern of stress from data and (2) by calibration with gravitational potential energy. A high level of compression (ca. 9 × 10