1.1                   GENERAL

1.1.1                            BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Foundations of any building or structure shall be designed and constructed to withstand safely all the dead, imposed and wind loads without impairing the stability or inducing excessive movement to the building or of any other building, street, land, slope or services.

The allowable capacity of the soil/rock under working loads where any foundation is founded shall be the lesser of:

• the ultimate capacity for bearing, bond or friction with an adequate factor of safety against failure; or
  • the value in relation to bearing, bond or friction such that the maximum deformation or movement induced to the foundation under working loads can be tolerated by the building, any other building, structure, land, street and services.

The allowable capacity may be increased by 25% when such increase is solely due to wind effects.

In determining the said factor of safety against failure, due consideration shall be given to the form and depth of the foundation, loading characteristics, the general geological conditions of the ground and its surrounding including the presence of dissolution features, jointing conditions and any other relevant characteristics for rock.

1.1.2                            COMPATIBILITY OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

In choosing the method for the determination of the ultimate capacity or for the estimation of settlement, care must be taken to ensure that the site investigation, testing, derivation of parameters,  computations, method of construction and standards of acceptance are mutually compatible and consistent with such method.

1.1.3                            CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS AND ROCKS

The classification of soils and rocks used in this Code is set out in Table 2.1. Further definition and description can be obtained from GEOGUIDE 3.