Great suggestion and happy to look into this. To get started, would you be happy providing a suggested title and sub-description? Hi homeone Any progress on getting a dedicated area for foundations so we can help folk with the most important part of their build? Regards

I met a very smart engineer who considers carefully the moisture content of the soils at the time of building. If it is a knockdown and there is no time for moisture to get into the clay and if large trees have been removed at the time of the build, they will look at how they tie the edge footing in...

Great suggestion and happy to look into this. To get started, would you be happy providing a suggested title and sub-description? Some good ideas coming through - perhaps a dedicated engineering spot which works through the build from geotechnical investigations, earthworks, plumbing, foundations s...

@Homeone There should be an overall topic for Engineering with Sub Topics for Geotech, Footings, Brickwork, Timber,Concrete, Fire (BAL), Energy, BIM, etc... General items not covered in the NCC. HTH Agree that a well thought out and dedicated area for folk to discuss these critical items and issues...

You should be able to put a tape measure down the piles and confirm they all go to the correct depth - what depth is natural ground? From borehole logs from soil test report, one borehole data reports natural sand start around 1m mark. Other four boreholes data reports 30cm to 50cm deep from surfac...

Today went to see the construction site to see some screw pile action but it was already done and gone when I arrived. They must have done really quick or start very early considering amount of piles have to screw in to the ground! https://forum.homeone.com.au/u/87122_1557920522.jpg https://forum.h...

Hi Ramee Did the builder ever consider screw piles to a depth beyond the influence of the trees? Cheers Mark Hi Mark, Yes they have included lots of screw piles in their design. They have recommended 2.3m minimum depth or go deep until 75KN working load is achieved in their design. I believe this i...

Great stuff - one of the best slabs going around - did it cost much more than a waffle slab?

Title could be Foundations and sub-description "Geotechnical reports assist in determining the foundation system (concrete piers, steel piles, concrete slab, raised floor etc) and what can affect the performance of your slab (cracking in your home) in the future like tree growth, drainage, plum...

Hi Ramee Did the builder ever consider screw piles to a depth beyond the influence of the trees? Cheers Mark

I would like to understand if the forum supports a dedicated area to discuss foundations. I spent yesterday at a Housing Engineering Design & Research Association conference Having good information about slabs and foundations would save a lot of heartache down the track with your build. Do the b...

Hi @Tibby2018 - has the slab been constructed yet - did you go for the Polyvoid slab system?

Hi All, Just wanted to get some advice. Went to the block tonight and they have trenched for the slab. It doesn’t seem like the footings are very “clean cut” not sure what the bags are, maybe sand, as some areas look to be crumbling away. Any thoughts? https://forum.homeone.com.au/u/1_1549482115.jp...

Great discussion. Will be interesting for you guys to evaluate my approach, which is a bit different from what I have seen in Australia so far. I have M class clay soil on P classified site due to a lot of vegetation and tree roots in the 200-300 mm topsoil (most of the big trees have been removed ...

Good post Mark I like option 3 on screw piles with a void former underneath .They used to use cardboard void formers back in the day but I like the sound of Polyvoid now. How are they performing with the current climate conditions and has there been many instances where they have heaved? Polyvoid h...

AS2870 - the Residential slabs and footings code has several "deem to comply" slabs. Deemed to comply means that engineers can follow the code and get it right, hopefully 100% of the time. The slabs are: Stiffened raft - footings in the ground but footings and slab poured together Footing...

Great points - the theory is that a waffle is structurally stiff and can span over some differential movement in the slab - in practice however I agree, where there is poor building practice and if you have an E class site the waffle should not be used. If you have the potential for trees, drainage ...

Welcome to the forum Mark and it is proper that you have upfront declared interest in the companies where you work. That is a decent approach and I for one would have confidence in listening to what you have to say. Thanks - day one and I got a call and assisted where I could. My interest is really...

The uncertainty with anything in the ground is the cost uncertainty for everyone, who knows how well the trenches will be dug, will rain collapse the trances, will they be over excavated, will soft pockets be found. They are also potentially unsafer from a worker point of view to construct. Along c...