Seismic Design Basics (IS 1893) for Structures
ENSOL Engineering TeamPublished 2026-02-011 min read
IS 1893 is the Indian standard for earthquake-resistant design. It divides the country into seismic zones and provides the factors used to estimate earthquake forces on a structure.
Seismic zones
IS 1893 maps India into seismic zones (II to V), with higher zones indicating greater expected shaking. A zone factor, along with importance and response-reduction factors, sets the design seismic force.
Seismic vs wind for solar
Solar mounting structures are light, so wind usually governs their design. Even so, seismic actions are checked, and heavier or elevated structures may need closer seismic attention.