Code of Practice for Design Loads (Other than Earthquake)

Specifies design loads for buildings: dead loads (Part 1), imposed loads (Part 2), wind loads (Part 3), snow loads (Part 4), special loads (Part 5).

Key clauses — Rebota's plain-English summary

Paraphrased for working engineers, not a verbatim reproduction of the standard. For compliance documentation, tender submissions, or any use requiring the exact clause text, refer to the official IS 875:1987 (Parts 1–5) document published by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) — this summary is an interpretation aid, not a substitute for it.

• Dead load — Unit weights: RCC 25 kN/m³; brick masonry 20 kN/m³; plain concrete 24 kN/m³
• Imposed floor load — Residential: 2.0 kN/m²; Office: 3.0 kN/m²; Storage: 7.5 kN/m²
• Wind pressure: Pd = 0.6 × Vz² (N/m²) where Vz = design wind speed at height z
• Basic wind speed map: 33 to 55 m/s across India by zone
• Combination factors for load combinations (DL + LL + WL)