Code provisions related to soils and foundations
Abstract
In the new Loadings Code, NZS 4203 "Code of Practice for General Structural Design and Design Loadings", the basic seismic coefficient (Clause 3.4.2) in addition to being related to the period of the structure, is related to the deformability of the site (section 3.4.3). The requirement for foundation interconnection (section 3.7.3) has been carried forward from the earlier code with little change. A new section on foundation design (3,3.6) has been introduced in which the principles of capacity design are applied, where appropriate, to the foundation substructure.