Ensuring Building Safety In An

Urbanised Environment – Singapore’s

PerspectiveOng See Ho

Deputy CEO & Commissioner of Building

Control

Building and Construction Authority

Outline

BUILDING CONTROL ECO-SYSTEM

WHAT DRIVES OUR STRUCTURAL SAFETY POLICIES

DESIGN STAGE

CONSTRUCTION STAGE

COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION

Regulatory systems

Planning Approval

Structural Plan

approval

Permit to Commence

Work

Construction

supervision

Submission of as-

built record plan

Temporary Occupation

Permit

Design stage (pre-construction) Construction stage Completion

Building Control

system

Development

Control

systemBCA is the agency

responsible for goal-keeping

within the Building Control

system

Professionals involved (structural safety)

Qualified Persons –

Professional Engineer (PE) (registered by Professional Engineers Board)

Specialist PE in Geotechnical Engineering (registered by Professional Engineers Board)

Accredited Checker (registered by BCA)

Qualified Site Supervisor (registered by Institution of Engineers/Association of Consulting Engineers)

Resident Engineer

Resident Technical Officer

Qualifications

For Professional Engineer (PE)

A recognised civil/structural engineering degree

(equivalent to a 4-year full-time undergraduate

program)

Minimum of 4 years of practical experience

Passed 2 written exams and a professional interview

For Specialist PE (Geotechnical)

A PE in civil/structural engineering

Minimum 7 years of practical experience

Minimum 4 years of practical experience in

geotechnical engineering

Qualifications

For Accredited Checker

10 years of professional experience as PE, with

experience in the design or construction of high-

rise buildings, precast, prestressed and steel

structures buildings

Qualifications

For Resident Engineer

A recognised civil/structural engineering degree

(4 years full time)

For Resident Technical Officer

a diploma in civil engineering from a recognised

polytechnics

Other Agency

Clearances

Obtain building plan

approval

Obtain completion

certificates &

occupation permit

Parallel submission

system

Drainage & sewerage

(NEA)

Roads & transport

(LTA)

Parks & trees (NParks)

Others, e.g. services,

iDA etc.)

Obtain planning

permission

Development

Control (URA)

Qualified Person

Obtain provisional

permission

Building Control

(BCA)

Obtain structural plan

approval & permit

Fire safety (SCDF)

BUILDING SAFETY – complex construction works are

getting deeper and higher and closer to existing buildings

Construction

of KPE

Structural safety – policy drivers

Hotel New World

BUILDING SAFETY – events that shaped our safety

regulations – local failures (e.g. no supervision and peer

review)

33 Dead

Structural safety – policy drivers

BUILDING SAFETY – events that shaped our safety

regulations – local failures (e.g. underground building

works)

Nicoll

Highway

4 Dead

Structural safety – policy drivers

DESIGN STAGE – structural plan

approval

Structural plan approval

Planning permission has been obtained

Qualified Person (QP) - only a Professional Engineer (in the field of civil/structural engineering) can submit the plan

An accredited checker (AC) from an Accredited Checking Organisation (ACO) will perform independent set of calculations (for project value > S$10 million)

If there is excavation exceeding 6m deep, geotechnical aspects to be provided by specialist PE in geotechnical engineering

BCA will also conduct random audit on QP and AC’s submission

DESIGN STAGE – structural plan

approval

Standards/Codes of practice

Mainly British Standards and Singapore Standards

From Apr 2013, structural design using Eurocodes is

allowed

Details to be shown on structural drawings

Structural layout, with imposed load and dimensions

of structural members

Rebar details

Connection details (welded or bolted)

Specifications of the materials to be used

Type of foundation to be used

DESIGN STAGE – structural plan

approval

Details to be shown on pile layout drawings the types of piles and the specification of materials to be

used;

the location of piles and site investigation boreholes;

the estimated pile penetration depth for each design zone;

the minimum embedded pile length into competent stratum, where applicable;

the unit skin friction and unit end bearing resistance for pile designs;

the allowable pile bearing capacity before and after deduction of negative skin friction (if applicable) and details of pile joints;

the allowable total and differential foundation settlement;

the allowable vibration limit during pile installation; and

the sectional details of piles and number and type of pile load tests and the location of ultimate pile load tests

DESIGN STAGE – structural plan

approval

Details to be shown in structural design calculations Design Information Sheet giving a summary of important

design information such as the design loads, codes of practice and assumptions

Detailed analysis and Design of Structural Elements, including –i. Foundation

ii. all structural elements resisting horizontal forces

iii. all vertical load bearing structural elements

iv. transfer beams or plates

v. typical beams and slabs

vi. steel structure and critical connection details

vii. any shaft, tunnel or cavern structure

viii. retaining walls and supporting structures

ix. the overall structural system under wind loads

inputs and outputs from the computer analysis and design programme

DESIGN STAGE – permit to commence

work

Joint application by the developer, Qualified Persons (Structural & Architectural) and builder

A QP (Supervision), who is a PE, to be appointed to supervise the construction of structural works

QP to appoint at least a Qualified Site Supervisor (either a Resident Technical Officer or a Resident Engineer) to assist him in supervising the structural works.

A full time resident engineer is needed for project value > S$15million

CONSTRUCTION STAGE – Builder’s

duty

Construct according to approved plan

Perform construction tests under the direction

of QP (Supervision)

Erect protective hoardings around the site and

provide measures to protect the foundations of

nearby building and excavation within the site

Inform BCA if instrumentation readings

exceeds critical values

CONSTRUCTION STAGE – QP(Sup) &

RE/RTO

Supervise critical structural works, e.g. casting,

piling, welding, etc

Witness various construction tests, e.g. pile

load test

Keep site records such as material testing

records, inspection records, attendance

records, etc

Report to BCA if instrumentation readings

exceeded critical levels

CONSTRUCTION STAGE – BCA officers

BCA will conduct ad-hoc inspection during

critical stages of construction, e.g. piling,

excavation, demolition

Check records on site and spot any

contravention to Building Control Act and

Regulations

Revoke Permit or stop work for serious

contravention

CONSTRUCTION STAGE – Changes to

design

Major changes, e.g. removal of columns, reduced beam depth, change in structural layout, changes to unit skin friction parameter for piling, etc

Submission of amendment plan is required. Changes cannot be effected on site until amendment plan is approved

Minor changes, e.g. pile eccentricity within tolerance, minor change in beam dimension in localised area

Submission of amendment plan is not required. Changes to be captured in record plan submission on completion

COMPLETION – submission of record

plans and apply for occupation permit

To submit record plan upon completion of

building works

To capture minor changes during construction

which do not require amendment plan

Upon submission of record plans, developer

could apply for Temporary Occupation Permit

(TOP) in order for the building to be occupied.

A joint inspection will be required before the

grant of TOP

Thank you…