Description of a Seismic Zone
What is a seismic zone?
A seismic zone could be one of three things:
A region on a map in which a common level of seismic design is required. This concept is becoming obsolete.
An area of seismicity probably sharing a common cause. Example: "The New Madrid Seismic Zone."
A region on a map for which a common areal rate of seismicity is assumed for the purpose of calculating probabilistic ground motions.
