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