Implications of Revised

Seismic Standards on
Architectural Aspects of
Buildings.

Brief Description of revised clauses of

IS 1893-2016
&
IS 13920-2016

GMR CONSULTING ENGINEERS

MUMBAI
Introduction:
As Bureau of Indian Standards has published the revised Codes IS 1893-2016 &
IS 13920-2016 for Seismic Design & Ductile Detailing of Structures. From the
study of this latest codes and Clauses incorporated in them, it has come to our
notice that it will have implications on the architectural Planning & design of
Buildings.
Also, the Local Authorities responsible for the approval of Buildings Like BMC
are insisting on the compliance with the latest Design Codes.
With this document, we would like to highlight the Clauses which will be
directly affecting the architecture of Buildings and the Compliance to the Code
requirement can only be made possible by incorporation of these guidelines
right from the beginning of architectural planning. As being counterparts to
Architects & Developer we as your Structural Consultant would like to bring
this to your view. We hope this document will be useful for understanding the
perspective & guidelines of latest codes which are meant to be fulfilled.
 IS 1893-2016

S.no Clauses Implications

1. Applicability: Every temporary
structure need to be
designed for
earthquake forces.

2. Addition & Alteration: Any additions in floors

to the previously
made structures left
with future provisions
need to be re-
examined and
checked as per new
code.

Stability of such
buildings as whole
needs to comply the
provisions of IS 1893-
2016.
3 Change in Occupancy: If change of
occupancy takes place
in project, higher
importance factor is
to be used in such
cases.

4 Design for Vertical Earthquake: Along with the

earthquake in two
orthogonal directions,
Seismic forces in
vertical directional is
also introduced.
This will be inducing
higher forces on all
major cantilever &
overhangs projecting
outwards resulting
higher member sizes.

All Vertical &

Horizonal projections
for 5 times Seismic
Force as mentioned
above.
5. Vertical Irregularities The probability of
(a) Mass Irregularity: having a mass
irregularity will be
more at transfer
girder level, as the
depth of girders are
high as compared to
the beam size on
above typical floors
resulting in the
variation of mass in
adjacent levels.
Along with the sizes
the loading values also
changes in parking
Area and above placed
residential area which
may lead to mass
irregularity.
6. (b) InPlane Discontinuity in Vertical Elements This clause says that
Resisting Lateral Force: the flaring of columns
which generally
happens in Multi-
storey building system
is restricted to 20% ie
for example: Column
with plan dimension
600mmx1000mm can
only flared upto
600mmx1200mm in
respective direction in
above floor. If its
more than 20% it shall
not be considered in
in lateral load
resisting system.
Above this specified
limits In- plane
Discontinuity in
vertical elements
resisting lateral force
will prevail which is
not permitted in Zone
3,4&5.
7. Flat slab system: (a)Flat slab System
need to have RCC
structural walls (Shear
walls) properly placed
in structural system
so as to take 100% of
the lateral Forces.
(b) RCC frame to be
provided on the
periphery capable of
resisting 25%
Earthquake forces.
(c) lateral Drift at the
roof level under
lateral force shall not
exceed 0.1%, which
will result in higher
column sizes as this
clause is more
stringent as compared
to RC frame system.
8. Property Modifiers: For analysis now we
should apply property
modifiers assuming
cracked section which
will increase the
lateral deformation of
structure and
member sizes and
percentage of steel in
members.
9. Floating Columns: The clause with the
most prominent
implications on
architectural design of
Multi-storey & high-
rise buildings. It states
that the Floating
column which we
have in our structural
system starting from
transfer girder cant
be the part of lateral
load resisting system.
Those columns will be
designed as gravity
columns.
For compliance with
these columns
architectural designs
need to be done in
such a way that we
can minimise stub &
Floating columns.
10. Soft Storey & Weak Storey: (i)Open storey
(a)Stiffness Irregularity (Soft Storey): condition: As per the
mentioned clause the
stiffness of
unreinforced masonry
is to be accounted. It
will happen in
building with
stilt/open ground
storey used for
parking with no infill
walls. Creating soft
storey.
(ii)Secondly it can
occur in case if fire
check floor where the
(b) Strength Irregularity: generally the storey
height is less as
compared to the
storey heights of the
adjacent levels, which
leads to the increase
in the stiffness and
resulting into soft
storey below & above
the fire check floor.
Provision: To get rid
of this problem the
simplest way is to
make the storey
height of fire check
floor same as
adjacent floors.
(b) Strength
Irregularity: This
clause will have
implications on
sudden reduction in
sizes of Columns &
Shear walls at
different storey levels.
As sudden reduction
in sizes may create a
weak storey.
11. Structural Wall Plan Intensity: Buildings with the
Stiffness Irregularity
mainly with open
ground story shear
wall system need to
have Structural wall
plan density of At
least 2% in each
principal direction.
That Implies we need
to have thicker walls
on open ground story.

IS 13920-2016
S no Clause Implications
1. Beam Size

2. Minimum size if
Size of columns: Column will be
greater of two
criteria 20 times the
Diameter of bar
used in the beam
passing through
that Column or 300
mm.

So now to finalise
the column sizes the
whole design should
be freeze. Because
any change at later
stage leading to
higher diameter bar
in beam will
 consequently
change the size of
column.
And due to above
mentioned reason
we will not be in
position to calculate
the quantities of
steel correctly
unless structural
system has been
finalised. For Eg: Bar
of 20 dia is been
used in beam then
minimum dimension
of the column shall
be
20x20(Db)=400mm.
3. Coupled Shear Wall: Minimum thickness
for coupled Walls
shall be 300 mm.

Normal Shear wall

shall have minimum
thickness of 160mm
taking fire
resistance into
consideration.