1.1                   FOUNDATION PLANS

Foundation plans should consist of adequate and relevant information so as to demonstrate the entire physical and conceptual designs. A typical foundation plan should include the following two parts:

(1)                    A Foundation Plan :

• a block plan showing the location of the site;

• details showing the characteristic features of the site and environments including locations of ground investigation boreholes, adjacent and nearby buildings and structures with foundations, lands, streets, utility services, slopes, nullahs, retaining walls and the like;
  • layout arrangement, identification, expected depths and founding levels, structural details and material specifications of the foundations;
  • for piled foundations, item (c) should include size, shape, cut-off level and structural details of the pile element, as well as details of pile shoe, pile head, splices and the pile to pile cap connections;
  • layout arrangement of the pile caps if applicable;
  • bearing capacity of foundations and method of verification on site;
  • specification of structural materials;
  • magnitude of characteristic dead, imposed and wind loads and their critical combinations acting on the foundations (for piled foundations, this should be given for each pile or each group of piles);
  • installation specifications, including the founding criteria, method of installation, etc.;
  • for piled foundations, item (i) should include method of controlling and monitoring the verticality, inclination and alignment of the piles during installation, the maximum number of piling rigs allowed to be concurrently driving piles at any one time for percussive piling in vibration sensitive sites, method of overcoming underground obstruction, etc.;
  • where dynamic pile driving formula is used, the parameters for the assessment of the ultimate pile capacity, such as the hammer efficiency, efficiency of blow and penetration of pile per hammer blow; and
  • proposals of precautionary and protective measures, monitoring plan and contingency plans to be implemented before and during the course of the construction works (see clause 7.2).

(2)                    Supporting Documents:

• site investigation report with results of ground investigation, field and laboratory tests and photographs of all the soil samples and rock cores taken;
  • design calculations based on recognized foundation engineering principles;

• assessment on the effects of the proposed foundation works on adjacent and nearby buildings, structures, lands, streets, utility services, slopes, nullahs and retaining walls etc.; and
  • for foundation works that may induce vibration or ground movement, a PR Plan (see clause 7.2.7).