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Reference Document - Geotechnical Site Classification Repor (As Published)t · MCU25/0022

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                 PROJECT NO.: 23/8894                                                       19th JULY 2023
                 NORTH COAST GEOMECHANICAL CONSULTANTS
                                                                    1/36 Maud Street
                                           MAROOCHYDORE QLD 4558
                                                                                Phone 07 5443 2988
                                                                                     Fax 07 5443 5157
                                                            [email protected]



                                        SITE CLASSIFICATION REPORT

                                               PROPOSED RESIDENCE AT
                                                  193 SANKEYS ROAD
                                                       FEDERAL




            NOOSA COUNCIL
         REFERENCE DOCUMENT
        MCU25/0022 & OPW25/0029                    FOR LACHLAN ROBINS


                 TESTING AUTHORITY:                    CIVIL QUALITY ASSURANCE PTY. LTD.
                                                       P.O. BOX 1225, NAMBOUR, QLD. 4560



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                 PROJECT NO.: 23/8894                                                                19th JULY 2023
                 NORTH COAST GEOMECHANICAL CONSULTANTS
                                                                   1/36 Maud Street
                                  MAROOCHYDORE QLD 4558
                                                                                        Phone 07 5443 2988
                                                                                             Fax 07 5443 5157
                                                                     [email protected]

                                                 Site Classification Report for,
                                                 Proposed Residence at,
                                                 193 Sankeys Road, FEDERAL.
                                                 OUR REFERENCE: 23/8894

                 This report refers to the inspection of the above site and field investigations to determine soil types
                 and their characteristics to give a Site Classification in terms of Australian Standard 2870 – 2011,
                 “Residential Slabs and Footings – Construction”. The Inspection and Field and/or Laboratory
                 Testing was carried out by Civil Quality Assurance Pty.Ltd.
                 Details are as follows: -

                 1.       SITE: The allotment is situated off the western side of Sankeys Road, FEDERAL. It is a
                          large heavily timbered allotment described as Lot.6 RP216727 with an area of 6.041 hectares.
                          Refer locality on front cover of this report. The house site will be situated close to the eastern
                          road frontage. The natural land surface falls to the south/south west at about 15%. An
                          excavated platform has been created near the eastern road frontage. The site shows no signs
                          of surface erosion or instability. Testing was carried out across the platform area and the
                          locations are shown on the attached site plan.




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                 PROJECT NO.: 23/8894                                                             19th JULY 2023

                 2.       SUB-SURFACE INVESTIGATIONS: Boreholes carried out revealed silty clay
                          topsoils of medium to high plasticity overlying layered and fractured siltstone of Kin Kin
                          Beds Geological origin. The soils are classified as “CI-CH” and “XW” respectively in
                          accordance with Table A1 of A.S. 1726 “Geotechnical Site Investigations”. No ground water
                          was encountered. Detailed borelogs are attached.
                          Testing was carried out to determine soil-bearing capacities using a 9-kg Dynamic Cone
                          Penetrometer (DCP) at borehole location 2 and 3. The results of these tests are attached. The
                          consistency of the soil was found to be firm to stiff silty clays over dense highly weathered
                          siltstone. Soil bearing capacities of 100 KPa were encountered below 0.3 metres depth at the
                          test sites.

                          A sample of the Silty Clay was taken and tested in the laboratory.
                          The results showed a Liquid Limit of 38.5% and a Linear Shrinkage of 14.5%. These clays
                          were assessed to be moderately to highly reactive to soil moisture variations and therefore
                          ground movements (Ys) of between 20mm to 40mm are likely.

                 3.       SITE CLASSIFICATION: From the test results viewed, we would classify the site as
                          equivalent to: -  CLASS “M”
                          -in terms of The Australian Standard 2870, “Residential Slabs and Footings”.
                          Should site earthworks substantially alter the subgrade from that shown on the
                          attached borelogs, this classification may vary.

                 4.       FOUNDATION RECOMMENDATIONS:
                          All site earthworks carried out must comply with A.S.3798 “Guidelines on Earthworks for
                          Commercial and Residential Development”, to validate this site classification.
                          All topsoils containing grass, tree roots and other organic material shall be removed from the
                          building footprint prior to construction commencing.
                          Structural Filling should be placed and compacted to a minimum dry density ratio of 95%
                          Standard. Field density testing should be carried out to assess the standard of compaction
                          achieved to be considered as “Controlled Fill” as specified in AS2870. Any filling should be
                          keyed into the natural slope (by benched key interface) and battered no steeper than 2.5H:1V
                          unless filling is supported by an engineer designed Retaining Structure.

                          Foundations for construction on isolated columns should be supported on mass concrete
                          bored piers taken into underlying highly weathered siltstone having a minimum bearing
                          pressure of 100KPa. Depths should also be adequate for the resistance to uplift and racking
                          forces.
                          For a proposed lightweight structure with slab on ground construction, we recommend
                          foundations and slab be designed as a stiffened raft slab designed in accordance with Figure
                          3.1 of A.S. 2870 for a Class M site. All footings shall be founded through any fill into
                          underlying dense weathered siltstone.




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                 PROJECT NO.: 23/8894                                                             19th JULY 2023

                 4.       FOUNDATION RECOMMENDATIONS (Cont.):
                          Where slabs are constructed over any Uncontrolled Fill, the slab foundations will need to
                          assessed by the design engineer with all foundations supported through the fill on piers into
                          the underlying dense weathered siltstone
                          All foundations shall be designed by an experienced registered professional engineer.

                          Attention should also be given to erosion protection of cut and filled batters.
                          It is recommended that all batters incorporate crest and toe drainage. The batters should also
                          be covered with topsoil and vegetation to provide long term erosion protection.

                          Before construction proceeds the locations and depths of any surrounding underground
                          services should be determined to ensure they do not interfere with the proposed
                          foundations.



                 5.       GENERAL: The test sites have been located to be reasonably representative of foundation
                          conditions. Should any variation of foundation conditions be encountered during
                          construction, the Engineer should be notified before proceeding, so any necessary changes to
                          construction can be made. Footings excavation and reinforcement placement should be
                          checked before the placement of concrete.

                          Based on the assessment of the Field Testing, the site is considered suitable for the proposed
                          development provided the recommendations set out in this report are adhered to.

                          Yours faithfully,
                          NORTH COAST GEOMECHANICAL CONSULTANTS




                          KEN CROCKER R.P.E.Q. No. 638




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                                                  SITE PLAN
                                                                                 TEST LOCATIONS
                       SANKEYS             ROAD                               193 SANKEYS ROAD, FEDERAL
                                                                                                                   NORTH



                                  SS   E
                                   ACC




                                                  BH2
                                                        P1

                                                                    BH3

                                                    BH1           P2
                                                   Cut Bank


                                                                             BH4




                                                                        193
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      Foundation Maintenance
      and Footing Performance:                                                                                                                                               BTF 18-2011
                                                                                                                                                                               replaces

      A Homeowner’s Guide                                                                                                                                                    Information
                                                                                                                                                                             Sheet 10/91



      Buildings can and often do move. This movement can be up, down, lateral or rotational. The fundamental cause of movement in
      buildings can usually be related to one or more problems in the foundation soil. It is important for the homeowner to identify the
      soil type in order to ascertain the measures that should be put in place in order to ensure that problems in the foundation soil can
      be prevented, thus protecting against building movement.
      This Building Technology File is designed to identify causes of soil-related building movement, and to suggest methods of
      prevention of resultant cracking in buildings.

      Soil Types                                                                                     Erosion
      The types of soils usually present under the topsoil in land zoned for                         All soils are prone to erosion, but sandy soil is particularly susceptible
      residential buildings can be split into two approximate groups –                               to being washed away. Even clay with a sand component of say 10%
      granular and clay. Quite often, foundation soil is a mixture of both                           or more can suffer from erosion.
      types. The general problems associated with soils having granular
      content are usually caused by erosion. Clay soils are subject to                               Saturation
      saturation and swell/shrink problems.                                                          This is particularly a problem in clay soils. Saturation creates a bog-
      Classifications for a given area can generally be obtained by                                  like suspension of the soil that causes it to lose virtually all of its
      application to the local authority, but these are sometimes unreliable                         bearing capacity. To a lesser degree, sand is affected by saturation
      and if there is doubt, a geotechnical report should be commissioned.                           because saturated sand may undergo a reduction in volume,
      As most buildings suffering movement problems are founded on clay                              particularly imported sand fill for bedding and blinding layers.
      soils, there is an emphasis on classification of soils according to the                        However, this usually occurs as immediate settlement and should
      amount of swell and shrinkage they experience with variations of                               normally be the province of the builder.
      water content. The table below is Table 2.1 from AS 2870-2011, the
      Residential Slab and Footing Code.                                                             Seasonal swelling and shrinkage of soil
                                                                                                     All clays react to the presence of water by slowly absorbing it,
      Causes of Movement                                                                             making the soil increase in volume (see table below). The degree of
                                                                                                     increase varies considerably between different clays, as does the
      Settlement due to construction                                                                 degree of decrease during the subsequent drying out caused by fair
      There are two types of settlement that occur as a result of                                    weather periods. Because of the low absorption and expulsion rate,
      construction:                                                                                  this phenomenon will not usually be noticeable unless there are
                                                                                                     prolonged rainy or dry periods, usually of weeks or months,
      • Immediate settlement occurs when a building is first placed                                  depending on the land and soil characteristics.
         on its foundation soil, as a result of compaction of the soil under
         the weight of the structure. The cohesive quality of clay soil                              The swelling of soil creates an upward force on the footings of the
         mitigates against this, but granular (particularly sandy) soil is                           building, and shrinkage creates subsidence that takes away the
                                                                                                     support needed by the footing to retain equilibrium.
         susceptible.
      • Consolidation settlement is a feature of clay soil and may take                              Shear failure
         place because of the expulsion of moisture from the soil or because
                                                                                                     This phenomenon occurs when the foundation soil does not have
         of the soil’s lack of resistance to local compressive or shear                              sufficient strength to support the weight of the footing. There are
         stresses. This will usually take place during the first few months                          two major post-construction causes:
         after construction, but has been known to take many years in
         exceptional cases.                                                                          • Significant load increase.
                                                                                                     • Reduction of lateral support of the soil under the footing due to
      These problems are the province of the builder and should be taken
      into consideration as part of the preparation of the site for                                    erosion or excavation.
      construction. Building Technology File 19 (BTF 19) deals with these                            In clay soil, shear failure can be caused by saturation of the soil
      problems.                                                                                      adjacent to or under the footing.


                                                                        GENERAL DEFINITIONS OF SITE CLASSES
             Class                                                                               Foundation
                A         Most sand and rock sites with little or no ground movement from moisture changes
                S         Slightly reactive clay sites, which may experience only slight ground movement from moisture changes
               M          Moderately reactive clay or silt sites, which may experience moderate ground movement from moisture changes
               H1         Highly reactive clay sites, which may experience high ground movement from moisture changes
               H2         Highly reactive clay sites, which may experience very high ground movement from moisture changes
                E         Extremely reactive sites, which may experience extreme ground movement from moisture changes
      Notes
      1. Where controlled fill has been used, the site may be classified A to E according to the type of fill used.
      2. Filled sites. Class P is used for sites which include soft fills, such as clay or silt or loose sands; landslip; mine subsidence; collapsing soils; soil subject to erosion;
         reactive sites subject to abnormal moisture conditions or sites which cannot be classified otherwise.
      3. Where deep-seated moisture changes exist on sites at depths of 3 m or greater, further classification is needed for Classes M to E (M-D, H1-D, H2-D and E-D).


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     Tree root growth
      Trees and shrubs that are allowed to grow in the vicinity of footings
      can cause foundation soil movement in two ways:
      • Roots that grow under footings may increase in cross-
        sectional size, exerting upward pressure on footings.
      • Roots in the vicinity of footings will absorb much of the
        moisture in the foundation soil, causing shrinkage or
        subsidence.

     Unevenness of Movement
      The types of ground movement described above usually occur
      unevenly throughout the building’s foundation soil. Settlement due                            looting settlement
      to construction tends to be uneven because of:
      • Differing compaction of foundation soil prior to construction.
      • Differing moisture content of foundation soil prior
          to construction.
      Movement due to non-construction causes is usually more uneven                       external footings. The doming is accentuated and cracking reduces
      still. Erosion can undermine a footing that traverses the flow or can                or disappears where it occurred because of dishing, but other
      create the conditions for shear failure by eroding soil adjacent to a                cracks open up. The roof lines may become convex.
      footing that runs in the same direction as the flow.                                 Doming and dishing are also affected by weather in other ways. In
      Saturation of clay foundation soil may occur where subfloor walls create             areas where warm, wet summers and cooler dry winters prevail,
      a dam that makes water pond. It can also occur wherever there is a                   water migration tends to be toward the interior and doming will be
      source of water near footings in clay soil. This leads to a severe                   accentuated, whereas where summers are dry and winters are cold
      reduction in the strength of the soil which may create local shear failure.          and wet, migration tends to be toward the exterior and the
      Seasonal swelling and shrinkage of clay soil affects the perimeter of the            underlying propensity is toward dishing.
      building first, then gradually spreads to the interior. The swelling                Movement caused by tree roots
      process will usually begin at the uphill extreme of the building, or on              In general, growing roots will exert an upward pressure on footings,
      the weather side where the land is flat. Swelling gradually reaches the              whereas soil subject to drying because of tree or shrub roots will tend
      interior soil as absorption continues. Shrinkage usually begins where                to remove support from under footings by inducing shrinkage.
      the sun’s heat is greatest.
     Effects of Uneven Soil Movement on Structures                                        Complications caused by the structure itself
                                                                                           Most forces that the soil causes to be exerted on structures are
     Erosion and saturation                                                                vertical – i.e. either up or down. However, because these forces are
      Erosion removes the support from under footings, tending to create                   seldom spread evenly around the footings, and because the building
      subsidence of the part of the structure under which it occurs.                       resists uneven movement because of its rigidity, forces are exerted
      Brickwork walls will resist the stress created by this removal of                    from one part of the building to another. The net result of all these
      support by bridging the gap or cantilevering until the bricks or the                 forces is usually rotational. This resultant force often complicates
      mortar bedding fail. Older masonry has little resistance. Evidence of                the diagnosis because the visible symptoms do not simply reflect the
      failure varies according to circumstances and symptoms may include:                  original cause. A common symptom is binding of doors on the
      • Step cracking in the mortar beds in the body of the wall or                        vertical member of the frame.
         above/ below openings such as doors or windows.                                  Effects on full masonry structures
      • Vertical cracking in the bricks (usually but not necessarily in                    Brickwork will resist cracking where it can. It will attempt to span
         line with the vertical beds or perpends).                                         areas that lose support because of subsided foundations or raised
      Isolated piers affected by erosion or saturation of foundations will                 points. It is therefore usual to see cracking at weak points, such as
      eventually lose contact with the bearers they support and may tilt or                openings for windows or doors.
      fall over. The floors that have lost this support will become bouncy,                In the event of construction settlement, cracking will usually remain
      sometimes rattling ornaments etc.                                                    unchanged after the process of settlement has ceased.
                                                                                           With local shear or erosion, cracking will usually continue to develop
     Seasonal swelling/shrinkage in clay                                                   until the original cause has been remedied, or until the subsidence
      Swelling foundation soil due to rainy periods first lifts the most exposed           has completely neutralised the affected portion of footing and the
      extremities of the footing system, then the remainder of the perimeter               structure has stabilised on other footings that remain effective.
      footings while gradually permeating inside the building footprint to lift
      internal footings. This swelling first tends to create a dish effect,                In the case of swell/shrink effects, the brickwork will in some cases
      because the external footings are pushed higher than the internal ones.              return to its original position after completion of a cycle, however it
                                                                                           is more likely that the rotational effect will not be exactly reversed,
      The first noticeable symptom may be that the floor appears slightly                  and it is also usual that brickwork will settle in its new position and
      dished. This is often accompanied by some doors binding on the                       will resist the forces trying to return it to its original position. This
      floor or the door head, together with some cracking of cornice                       means that in a case where swelling takes place after construction
      mitres. In buildings with timber flooring supported by bearers and                   and cracking occurs, the cracking is likely to at least partly remain
      joists, the floor can be bouncy. Externally there may be visible                     after the shrink segment of the cycle is complete. Thus, each time the
      dishing of the hip or ridge lines.                                                   cycle is repeated, the likelihood is that the cracking will become
      As the moisture absorption process completes its journey to the                      wider until the sections of brickwork become virtually independent.
      innermost areas of the building, the internal footings will rise. If the             With repeated cycles, once the cracking is established, if there is no
      spread of moisture is roughly even, it may be that the symptoms will                 other complication, it is normal for the incidence of cracking to
      temporarily disappear, but it is more likely that swelling will be                   stabilise, as the building has the articulation it needs to cope with the
      uneven, creating a difference rather than a disappearance in                         problem. This is by no means always the case, however, and
      symptoms. In buildings with timber flooring supported by bearers and                 monitoring of cracks in walls and floors should always be treated
      joists, the isolated piers will rise more easily than the strip footings or          seriously.
      piers under walls, creating noticeable doming of flooring.
                                                                                           Upheaval caused by growth of tree roots under footings is not a
      As the weather pattern changes and the soil begins to dry out, the                   simple vertical shear stress. There is a tendency for the root to also
      external footings will be first affected, beginning with the locations               exert lateral forces that attempt to separate sections of brickwork
      where the sun’s effect is strongest. This has the effect of lowering the             after initial cracking has occurred.




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      The normal structural arrangement is that the inner leaf of brickwork in            Corroded guttering or downpipes can spill water to ground.
      the external walls and at least some of the internal walls (depending on the      • Downpipes not positively connected to a proper stormwater
      roof type) comprise the load-bearing structure on which any upper floors,           collection system will direct a concentration of water to soil that
      ceilings and the roof are supported. In these cases, it is internally visible       is directly adjacent to footings, sometimes causing large-scale
      cracking that should be the main focus of attention, however there are a            problems such as erosion, saturation and migration of water under
      few examples of dwellings whose external leaf of masonry plays some                 the building.
      supporting role, so this should be checked if there is any doubt. In any
      case, externally visible cracking is important as a guide to stresses on the
      structure generally, and it should also be remembered that the external          Seriousness of Cracking
      walls must be capable of supporting themselves.                                   In general, most cracking found in masonry walls is a cosmetic nuisance
                                                                                        only and can be kept in repair or even ignored. The table below is a
     Effects on framed structures                                                       reproduction of Table C1 of AS 2870-2011.
      Timber or steel framed buildings are less likely to exhibit cracking due to       AS 2870-2011 also publishes figures relating to cracking in concrete
      swell/shrink than masonry buildings because of their flexibility.                 floors, however because wall cracking will usually reach the critical point
      Also, the doming/dishing effects tend to be lower because of the lighter          significantly earlier than cracking in slabs, this table is not reproduced
      weight of walls. The main risks to framed buildings are encountered               here.
      because of the isolated pier footings used under walls. Where erosion or
      saturation causes a footing to fall away, this can double the span which a       Prevention/Cure
      wall must bridge. This additional stress can create cracking in wall linings,
      particularly where there is a weak point in the structure caused by a door       Plumbing
      or window opening. It is, however, unlikely that framed structures will be        Where building movement is caused by water service, roof plumbing,
      so stressed as to suffer serious damage without first exhibiting some or all      sewer or stormwater failure, the remedy is to repair the problem. It is
      of the above symptoms for a considerable period. The same warning                 prudent, however, to consider also rerouting pipes away from the
      period should apply in the case of upheaval. It should be noted, however,         building where possible, and relocating taps to positions where any
      that where framed buildings are supported by strip footings there is only         leakage will not direct water to the building vicinity. Even where gully
      one leaf of brickwork and therefore the externally visible walls are the          traps are present, there is sometimes sufficient spill to create erosion or
      supporting structure for the building. In this case, the subfloor masonry         saturation, particularly in modern installations using smaller diameter
      walls can be expected to behave as full brickwork walls.                          PVC fixtures. Indeed, some gully traps are not situated directly under
                                                                                        the taps that are installed to charge them, with the result that water
     Effects on brick veneer structures                                                 from the tap may enter the backfilled trench that houses the sewer
      Because the load-bearing structure of a brick veneer building is the frame        piping. If the trench has been poorly backfilled, the water will either
      that makes up the interior leaf of the external walls plus perhaps the            pond or flow along the bottom of the trench. As these trenches usually
      internal walls, depending on the type of roof, the building can be expected       run alongside the footings and can be at a similar depth, it is not hard
      to behave as a framed structure, except that the external masonry will            to see how any water that is thus directed into a trench can easily affect
      behave in a similar way to the external leaf of a full masonry structure.         the foundation’s ability to support footings or even gain entry to the
                                                                                        subfloor area.
     Water Service and Drainage
      Where a water service pipe, a sewer or stormwater drainage pipe is in the        Ground drainage
      vicinity of a building, a water leak can cause erosion, swelling or saturation    In all soils there is the capacity for water to travel on the surface and
      of susceptible soil. Even a minuscule leak can be enough to saturate a clay       below it. Surface water flows can be established by inspection during and
      foundation. A leaking tap near a building can have the same effect. In            after heavy or prolonged rain. If necessary, a grated drain system
      addition, trenches containing pipes can become watercourses even though           connected to the stormwater collection system is usually an easy solution.
      backfilled, particularly where broken rubble is used as fill. Water that          It is, however, sometimes necessary when attempting to prevent water
      runs along these trenches can be responsible for serious erosion,                 migration that testing be carried out to establish watertable height and
      interstrata seepage into subfloor areas and saturation.                           subsoil water flows. This subject is referred to in BTF 19 and may
      Pipe leakage and trench water flows also encourage tree and shrub roots           properly be regarded as an area for an expert consultant.
      to the source of water, complicating and exacerbating the problem. Poor          Protection of the building perimeter
      roof plumbing can result in large volumes of rainwater being concentrated         It is essential to remember that the soil that affects footings extends
      in a small area of soil:                                                          well beyond the actual building line. Watering of garden plants, shrubs
      • Incorrect falls in roof guttering may result in overflows, as may               and trees causes some of the most serious water problems.
        gutters blocked with leaves etc.                                                For this reason, particularly where problems exist or are likely to occur,
                                                                                        it is recommended that an apron of paving be installed around as much
      •                                                                                 of the building perimeter as necessary. This paving should


                                              CLASSIFICATION OF DAMAGE WITH REFERENCE TO WALLS
                                                                                                           Approximate crack width               Damage
                            Description of typical damage and required repair                                 limit (see Note 3)                 category
             Hairline cracks                                                                                        <0.1 mm                          0
             Fine cracks which do not need repair                                                                    <1 mm                           1
             Cracks noticeable but easily filled. Doors and windows stick slightly.                                  <5 mm                           2
             Cracks can be repaired and possibly a small amount of wall will need to be                 5–15 mm (or a number of cracks               3
             replaced. Doors and windows stick. Service pipes can fracture. Weathertightness              3 mm or more in one group)
             often impaired.

             Extensive repair work involving breaking-out and replacing sections of walls,              15–25 mm but also depends on                 4
             especially over doors and windows. Window and door frames distort. Walls lean                    number of cracks
             or bulge noticeably, some loss of bearing in beams. Service pipes disrupted.




                 8894-193 Sankeys Rd-FEDERAL                                  Page 14 of 15                                                  19/07/2023
Document Set ID: 24390806
                  23591411
Version: 1, Version Date: 18/12/2025
                          28/02/2025

Page 15

                             Gardens for a reactive site                                         • Water that is transmitted into masonry, metal or timber building
                                                                                                   elements causes damage and/or decay to those elements.
                                                                                                 • High subfloor humidity and moisture content create an ideal
                                                                                                   environment for various pests, including termites and
                                                                                                   spiders.
                                                                                                 • Where high moisture levels are transmitted to the flooring and
                                                                                                   walls, an increase in the dust mite count can ensue within the
                                                                                                   living areas. Dust mites, as well as dampness in general, can be
                                                                                                   a health hazard to inhabitants, particularly those who are
                                                                                                   abnormally susceptible to respiratory ailments.

                                                                                              The garden
                                                                                               The ideal vegetation layout is to have lawn or plants that require only light
                                                                                               watering immediately adjacent to the drainage or paving edge, then more
                                                                                               demanding plants, shrubs and trees spread out in that order.
                                                                                               Overwatering due to misuse of automatic watering systems is a common
                                                                                               cause of saturation and water migration under footings. If it is necessary
                                                                                               to use these systems, it is important to remove garden beds to a
                                                                                               completely safe distance from buildings.
                                                                                              Existing trees
                                                                                               Where a tree is causing a problem of soil drying or there is the existence
                                                                                               or threat of upheaval of footings, if the offending roots are subsidiary
                                                                                               and their removal will not significantly damage the tree, they should be
                                                                                               severed and a concrete or metal barrier placed vertically in the soil to
                                                                                               prevent future root growth in the direction of the building. If it is not
                                                                                               possible to remove the relevant roots without damage to the tree, an
                                                                                               application to remove the tree should be made to the local authority. A
                                                                                               prudent plan is to transplant likely offenders before they become a
                                                                                               problem.

                                                                                              Information on trees, plants and shrubs
                                                                                               State departments overseeing agriculture can give information regarding
                                                                                               root patterns, volume of water needed and safe distance from buildings
                                                                                               of most species. Botanic gardens are also sources of information. For
                                                                                               information on plant roots and drains, see Building Technology File 17.

                                                                                              Excavation
                                                                                               Excavation around footings must be properly engineered. Soil
      extend outwards a minimum of 900 mm (more in highly reactive soil) and                   supporting footings can only be safely excavated at an angle that allows
      should have a minimum fall away from the building of 1:60. The finished                  the soil under the footing to remain stable. This angle is called the angle
      paving should be no less than 100 mm below brick vent bases.                             of repose (or friction) and varies significantly between soil types and
      It is prudent to relocate drainage pipes away from this paving, if possible,             conditions. Removal of soil within the angle of repose will cause
      to avoid complications from future leakage. If this is not practical,                    subsidence.
      earthenware pipes should be replaced by PVC and backfilling should be                   Remediation
      of the same soil type as the surrounding soil and compacted to the same                    Where erosion has occurred that has washed away soil adjacent to
      density.                                                                                   footings, soil of the same classification should be introduced and
      Except in areas where freezing of water is an issue, it is wise to remove                  compacted to the same density. Where footings have been undermined,
      taps in the building area and relocate them well away from the building –                  augmentation or other specialist work may be required. Remediation of
      preferably not uphill from it (see BTF 19).                                                footings and foundations is generally the realm of a specialist consultant.
      It may be desirable to install a grated drain at the outside edge of the                   Where isolated footings rise and fall because of swell/shrink effect, the
      paving on the uphill side of the building. If subsoil drainage is needed this              homeowner may be tempted to alleviate floor bounce by filling the gap
      can be installed under the surface drain.                                                  that has appeared between the bearer and the pier with blocking. The
                                                                                                 danger here is that when the next swell segment of the cycle occurs, the
     Condensation                                                                                extra blocking will push the floor up into an accentuated dome and may
      In buildings with a subfloor void such as where bearers and joists support                 also cause local shear failure in the soil. If it is necessary to use blocking,
      flooring, insufficient ventilation creates ideal conditions for                            it should be by a pair of fine wedges and monitoring should be carried
      condensation, particularly where there is little clearance between the floor               out fortnightly.
      and the ground. Condensation adds to the moisture already present in the                   This BTF was prepared by John Lewer FAIB, MIAMA, Partner,
      subfloor and significantly slows the process of drying out. Installation of                Construction Diagnosis.
      an adequate subfloor ventilation system, either natural or mechanical, is
      desirable.
      Warning: Although this Building Technology File deals with cracking in
      buildings, it should be said that subfloor moisture can result in the
      development of other problems, notably:

                          The information in this and other issues in the series was derived from various sources and was believed to be correct when published.

                              The information is advisory. It is provided in good faith and not claimed to be an exhaustive treatment of the relevant subject.

                                      Further professional advice needs to be obtained before taking any action based on the information provided.

                                                                                      Distributed by
                                               CSIRO PUBLISHING Locked Bag 10, Clayton South VIC 3169 Tel (03)
                                                 9545 8400                      1300 788 000             www.publish.csiro.au Email:
                                                                              [email protected]

                                                    © CSIRO 2003. Unauthorised copying of this Building Technology File is prohibited



                 8894-193 Sankeys Rd-FEDERAL                                        Page 15 of 15                                                            19/07/2023
Document Set ID: 24390806
                  23591411
Version: 1, Version Date: 18/12/2025
                          28/02/2025

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