A MODEL SPECIFICATION FOR ENGINEERED FILLS FOR BUILDING PURPOSES.

It has long been recognized that filled ground may present hazards for buildings constructed upon it, owing to settlement or heave. Even when the fill has been specifically engineered to form a foundation, movements have sometimes been unacceptably large and have damaged the structures. This may have been due to an inappropriate specification or to inadequate control of fill placement. Specifications used for engineered fill are usually those developed for highway works and they are not necessarily appropriate for fills on which buildings will be constructed. This paper is concerned with the specification and control of fills whose purpose is safely to support low-rise structures without the occurrence of damaging movements. A model specification is appended. (A)