It's so good to see you do your homework and understand everything - well done on the outcome.

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…

Some good ideas coming through - perhaps a dedicated engineering spot which works through the build from geotechnical investigations, earthworks, plumbing, foundations slabs and floors, driveways, walls and columns, undercroft…

Agree that a well thought out and dedicated area for folk to discuss these critical items and issues is important. Thanks for the input.

Looks good - not sure how you get exactly the same reading on every pile at 4.0m as there will always be a bit of variation - but on the…

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?

OK, that looks good - ask if you can have the pile installation logs to make sure the piling contractor went down 2.3m - actually if you can spend the…

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…

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
conference
Having good information about slabs and foundations would save a…

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

Have you paid a fixed price for the slab? Keep an eye on the reinforcing, make sure it is per the drawings and has cover from the sides and bottom…

When I first started out in Perth and we got clay the consutling engineer I worked for would recommend removing 600mm and replace it with sand. We would specify that…

Polyvoid have about 2000 slabs and issues can be counted on one hand. In the early days (6-7) years ago the plumbing and top of pile connections were not as…

You certainly cannot build waffle on E in the deemed to comply Part 3 of AS2870 but I agree to a certain extent you can design any slab for any…

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…

Thanks - day one and I got a call and assisted where I could. My interest is really in assisting folk with getting the foundations right. Everyone spends lots of…

There is a very good guide from the CSIRO - Foundation Maintenance and Footing Performance: A Homeowner's Guide. Drainage, tree effect and anything that will cause differential movement around and…

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%…

There should be no reason for the original structural engineer not to take your calls. In fact they are key to this as they "own" the design of the slab…

Sort off stumbled across this forum so will attempt to assist.
The depth of pile should be according to AS2870 table 2.5. This table relates suction change (Hs) with climatic zone.…