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Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS

Section 1803A

California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATIONS

1803 A .1 General. Geotechnical investigations shall be conducted in accordance with Section 1803 A .2 and reported in accordance with Section 1803A.7. The classification and investigation of the soil shall be made under the responsible charge of a California registered geotechnical engineer. All recommendations contained in geotechnical and geohazard reports shall be subject to the approval of the enforcement agency. All reports shall be prepared and signed by a regis- tered geotechnical engineer, a certified engineering geolo- gist, and a registered geophysicist, where applicable.

1803 A .2 Investigations required. Geotechnical investigations shall be conducted in accordance with Sections 1803 A .3 through 1803A.6.

Exception s :

1. Geotechnical reports are not required for one-story, wood-frame and light-steel-frame buildings of Type II or Type V construction and 4,000 square feet (371 m 2 ) or less in floor area, not located within Earth- quake Fault Zones or Seismic Hazard Zones as shown in the most recently published maps from the California Geological Survey (CGS) or in seismic hazard zones as defined in the Safety Element of the local General Plan. Allowable foundation and lat- eral soil pressure values may be determined from Table 1806A.2.

2. A previous report for a specific site may be resub- mitted, provided that a reevaluation is made and the report is found to be currently appropriate.

1803 A .3 Basis of investigation. Soil classification shall be based on observation and any necessary tests of the materials disclosed by borings, test pits or other subsurface exploration made in appropriate locations. Additional studies shall be made as necessary to evaluate slope stability, soil strength, position and adequacy of load-bearing soils, the effect of moisture variation on soil-bearing capacity, compressibility, liquefaction and expansiveness.

1803 A .3.1 Scope of investigation. The scope of the geotechnical investigation including the number and types of borings or soundings, the equipment used to drill or sample, the in-situ testing equipment and the laboratory testing program shall be determined by a registered design professional.

There shall not be less than one boring or exploration shaft for each 5,000 square feet (465 m 2 ) of building area at the foundation level with a minimum of two provided for any one building. A boring may be considered to reflect

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▸Contents — California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
  2. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT
  3. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING
  4. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED
  5. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
  6. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  7. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED
  8. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  9. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  10. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  11. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
  12. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  13. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  14. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  15. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  16. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  17. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  18. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  19. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  20. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  21. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  22. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  23. ▸Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
    Overview
    1. Section 1801
    2. Section 1802
    3. Section 1803
    4. Section 1804
    5. Section 1805
    6. Section 1806
    7. Section 1807
    8. Section 1808
    9. Section 1809
    10. Section 1810
    11. Section 1811
    12. Section 1812
    13. Section 1813
    14. Section 1803A
    15. Section 1801A
    16. Section 1802A
    17. Section 1804A
    18. Section 1805A
    19. Section 1806A
    20. Section 1807A
    21. Section 1808A
    22. Section 1809A
    23. Section 1810A
    24. Section 1811A
    25. Section 1812A
    26. Section 1813A
  24. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  25. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  26. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  27. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  28. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  29. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  30. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  31. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  32. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  33. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  34. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  35. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  36. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  37. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  38. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  39. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  40. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  41. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  42. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  43. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  44. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  45. Appendix C — GROUP U – AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  46. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  47. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  48. Appendix H — SIGNS
  49. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  50. Appendix J — GRADING
  51. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES
  52. Appendix N — REPLICABLE BUILDINGS
  53. Appendix O — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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