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• R401.4

  Soil Tests

  • Where data point to expansive, compressible or shifting soil, the building official decides whether a soil test is required; in SDC C and up the report gives site class and SDS.

  International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 4, FoundationsRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

• R401.4.1

  Geotechnical Evaluation

  • Without a geotechnical report, assume these soil bearing values; clay and silt default to 1,500 psf, and weaker soil needs an investigation.
  • Soils fall into four groups by drainage and expansion; Group I drains well, Group III is high-expansion clay, and Group IV is organic.

  International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 4, FoundationsRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

• R401.4.2

  Compressible or Shifting Soil

  • Compressible or shifting soil is dug out wide and deep enough to keep moisture stable, or stabilized chemically, by dewatering or by presaturation.

  International Residential Code, 2024 · Chapter 4, FoundationsRead the full text (opens UpCodes in a new tab)

Searches all 4,276 IRC 2024 sections, 5,532 IBC 2024 sections and defined terms (Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 so far) and each city's local rules as they are added. Section numbers and titles from the International Residential Code and International Building Code, 2024 editions, copyrighted by the International Code Council; the IRC's electrical chapters (34 to 43) follow NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code. Requirements are summarized in our words (IRC Chapters 3 to 43, IBC Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33); read the full text at the link on each result. Local values come from each city's published documents.