Practice Note for Authorized Persons,

Buildings Department Registered Structural Engineers and ADM-8

Registered Geotechnical Engineers

Structural Design Information

To facilitate processing of structural submissions, plans and calculations

should be clearly presented and organised as outlined below.

Structural Plans

2. Structural plans should be properly indexed and each drawing should bear
a drawing title and drawing number.

3. The first drawing of the set should contain general notes and material
specification on:

(a) design codes and standards;

(b) concrete materials, including cement, aggregates, pulverised fuel

ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag;

(c) reinforcement and other structural materials;

(d) grade and characteristic strength of structural materials;

(e) concrete covers, corrosion protections and fire resistance

requirements; and

(f) other particulars of method of construction, workmanship and

testing.

4. The submitted drawings should cover key plans, floor/layout plans,

sections and elevations to show the layout, dimensions, levels and identification numbers
of all structural frames and members.

5. Notes on design imposed loads (including allowance for partitions,

screeds, dynamic effects and the like) should be given on the corresponding floor/layout
plans. Where there are different design imposed loads for different parts of the floor, the
variations should be illustrated diagrammatically.

6. For alteration and addition proposals, reinforcement/steelwork details of

the structural members in the existing building affected by the proposed works should be
shown on the plans as reference. These details should be extracted from the approved
plans of the affected structural members.

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7. For foundation works and other proposals with geotechnical content

involved, such as retaining wall works, excavation and lateral support works and site
formation works, the characteristic features of the site and the environment including but
not limited to the locations of ground investigation boreholes, adjacent and nearby
buildings and structures with foundations, lands, streets, utility services, slopes, nullahs,
retaining walls and the like, should be shown on the plans. Proposals of precautionary
and protective measures, monitoring plan and contingency plans to be implemented
before and during the course of the construction works should also be shown on the
submitted plans as appropriate. Reference may be made to the Code of Practice for
Foundations 2017 and relevant Practice Note for Authorized Persons, Registered
Structural Engineers and Registered Geotechnical Engineers (PNAP) APP-18, APP-54,
APP-57 and ADM-15 for details.

General Building Plans

8. The information on design imposed loads specified on the structural plans

should also be shown on the general building plans.

Structural Calculations

9. Structural calculations should be grouped into two parts, each to be

properly indexed. The first part (Part I structural calculations) should contain essential
information on the structural design of the proposed works as specified in paragraph 10
below, and is to be retained in the Buildings Department (BD) for record. The second
part (Part II structural calculations) should contain relevant details of analysis and design
calculations of the structural elements as outlined in paragraph 11 below, and will be
returned to the authorized person (AP)/registered structural engineer (RSE) after processing
of the structural submission.

10. Part I structural calculations should contain the following:

(a) a synopsis of the structural design giving –

(i) a general description of the foundation and/or structural

system and the basic anatomy of stability by which the
applied loads are transferred to the ground; and

(ii) design method and assumptions, codes of practice used and

limitations of stresses and deformation;

(b) essential information on the computerised calculations,

including –

(i) the name, version, developer’s name/identification, BD

reference number and validity period of the computer
program used;

(ii) the scope of application of the program which is accepted

by BD and a list of the limitations in application;

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(iii) assumptions made and justifications on parameters used in

the computer model, e.g. material properties, geological
parameters and boundary conditions;

(iv) input data with computer-generated graphics or hand

sketch showing the framing and layout of the structure,
nodes and elements, joint fixity, etc.;

(v) summary of salient output results, e.g. the design envelopes

of moment, shear and displacement of the most critical
cases for design and compatibility check of the applied
forces against the output overall reactions; and

(vi) interpretation and application of the computer output in the

design;

(c) essential information on the design to resist lateral loads, e.g. wind
load, where applicable, including –

(i) a general description of the load-resisting system and

mathematical modelling;

(ii) diagrams illustrating the location and identification of all

structural frames and members in the load-resisting system;

(iii) a summary of sectional properties of load-resisting

elements;

(iv) a summary of lateral loads applied to the building and the

distribution of the lateral forces on individual frames at
each floor level;

(v) principal reactions (moments, shear forces and axial

forces) in the load-resisting elements; and

(vi) a summary of equilibrium check on applied lateral forces

and calculated reactions of vertical structural members at
foundation and other critical levels where there is a major
change in structural configuration;

(d) essential information on the design to resist dead and imposed

loads, including –

(i) the design data on dead and imposed loads; and

(ii) a summary of principal reactions (moments, shear forces

and axial forces) in the vertical structural members at
foundation and all floor levels;

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(e) details of the design of major transfer members;

(f) details of the design of cantilevered canopies, balconies, corbels

and major structural appendages; and

(g) for foundation works and other proposals with geotechnical

content involved, the associated geological conditions extracted
from site investigation or ground investigation reports, the adopted
geological parameters, the founding stratum and the allowable
bearing capacity, as appropriate, together with a summary of
assessment on the existing nearby buildings, structures, slopes,
retaining walls, land, streets and services, due to the effects of the
works.

11. Part II structural calculations usually involves presentation of detailed

analysis and design of individual structural elements computed by BD’s pre-accepted
programs in bulk volume of computer printout.

Pre-submission Enquiry and Conference

12. If the structural submission involves the use of any new structural theories,
materials or structural forms, sophisticated designs or unconventional construction
methods, AP/RSE/registered geotechnical engineer (RGE) are advised to consult BD
through the pre-submission enquiry and conference mechanism specified in
PNAP ADM- 19 at an early stage of the design. If the pre-submission enquiry has not
been made prior to the formal submission of structural plans, the structural proposals and
principles involved will be considered in parallel. In such case, one additional set of plans
and relevant supporting documents is required to be submitted for the Technical Services
Unit of BD to examine the structural proposals and principles involved.

13. To facilitate referral of plans to other concerned government departments,

a checklist on the documents and the number of sets of plans and design documents
required to be included in the structural submission is given in Appendix A. AP/RSE are
requested to include the completed and signed checklist in the submission of structural
plans.

Submission of Plans and Documents in Electronic Format

14. With the launch of the Electronic Submission Hub (ESH), AP/RSE/RGE
are encouraged to submit plans, forms and documents via the ESH in lieu of the
conventional paper submission or the submission of CD/DVD. Detailed requirements of
submission via the ESH are set out in PNAP ADM-17.

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15. Before the full adoption of ESH in structural plans submission, BD will
continue to accept submission of Part II structural calculations and other types of
structural documents listed in Appendix B in CD/DVD. In this connection, the CD/DVD
should be in the form of a non-rewriteable CD-ROM in ISO 9660 format (i.e. CD format)
or non-rewriteable DVD-ROM in ISO/IEC 13346:1995 format (i.e. DVD format) with
the project information, i.e. BD reference number, submission title, name of RSE/RGE
and disc number, printed on the cover. The RSE/RGE should sign on the cover of each
CD/DVD submitted and the electronic files contained in it should:

(a) be in the Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), and each

separate page of the documents should not be larger than A3 size;

(b) have a clear index listing the content and purpose of each
document file in the CD/DVD;

(c) support searching of text contained in the document; and

(d) have resolution not less than 300 dpi for any image contained in
the document.

16. Once the CD/DVD is submitted, it is not replaceable and will not be
returned. Any supplementary design calculations and/or other information in Part II
structural calculations as well as supplementary structural documents should be presented
in the same format and submitted in a supplementary CD/DVD for BD’s retention.

( YU Po-mei, Clarice )
Building Authority

Ref. : BD GP/BREG/A/12 (Pt.II)

This PNAP is previously known as PNAP 121

First issue July 1986
Last revision July 2021
This revision June 2023 (AD/NB2) (General revision)
 Appendix A
(PNAP ADM-8)

Checklist on Documents included in Structural Submissions

PART 1 - GENERAL INFORMATION

BD Ref. No.: Address of Site: Lot No.:

Authorized Person: Registered Structural Engineer:

Type of Submission (Please tick as appropriate):

First Submission Resubmission upon Disapproval Major Revision/Amendment

Type of Works (Please tick as appropriate):

New Building Alteration & Addition
Foundation
Ground Investigation Driven Pile Small Diameter Bored Pile (not exceeding 750mm)
Large Diameter Bored Pile (over 750mm) Barrette Spread Footing Raft
Others
Earth-retaining, Excavation and Lateral Support Works
Retaining Wall Sheet Piling Piled Wall Diaphragm Wall Lateral Support Detail
Other Shoring System
Underground Structure
Basement Pile Cap Others
Superstructure
Main Structure Curtain/Glass Wall Cladding Signboard
Others

PART 2 - DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED (Please tick as appropriate)

Yes N/A
Plans (2 signed sets for approval)
Design calculations (Part I, No. of Vol. )
(Part II, No. of Vol. / CD / DVD ROM)
Ground/site investigation report (2 sets / CD / DVD ROM)
Appraisal report on adjacent/existing buildings (1 set / CD / DVD ROM)
Geotechnical report
Form BA 4 (Appointment of AP/RSE/RGE)
Form BA 5 (Application for approval)
Form BA 6 (Stability certificate)
Form BA 16 (Application for exemption/modification)
Payment is required when fees are charged according to the total number of plans submitted
Others (Please specify):

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PART 3 - ADDITIONAL PLANS AND DESIGN DOCUMENTS FOR REFERRAL
Does the proposal involve or affect the Yes No
following?
Area Number 1, 2 or 4 of the Scheduled Geotechnical Engineering Office
Areas (1 set of plans and 1 set of documents)
Area Number 3 of the Scheduled Areas or (a) Mass Transit Railway Corporation Limited;
Railway Protection Areas and
(b) Railway Division, Highways Department
(2 sets of plans)
Area Number 5 of the Scheduled Areas (a) Geotechnical Engineering Office; and
(b) Drainage Services Department
(2 sets of plans and 1 set of documents)
Designated Area of Northshore Lantau Geotechnical Engineering Office
(1 set of plans and 1 set of documents)
Slopes, retaining structures, deep Geotechnical Engineering Office
excavation, disused tunnel (1 set of plans and 1 set of documents)
Culvert, nullah, stream course (a) Geotechnical Engineering Office;
(b) Drainage Services Department; and
(c) Highways Department
(3 sets of plans)
Proposed railway routes Railway Development Office, Highways
Department
(1 set of plans)
Chek Lap Kok Airport Civil Aviation Department
(1 set of plans)
Structures to be erected in, over, under or (a) Lands Department; and
upon a street (b) Highways Department
(2 sets of plans)
Highway structures Highways Department
(1 set of plans and 1 set of documents)
Sea walls, adjacent to sea front Port Works Division, Civil Engineering and
Development Department
(1 set of plans and 1 set of documents)
Reclamation, piers (a) Marine Department; and
(b) Port Works Division, Civil Engineering and
Development Department
(2 sets of plans and 2 sets of documents)
Public drainage Drainage Services Department
(1 set of plans)
Water mains Water Supplies Department
(1 set of plans)
Monument, proposed monument, graded Antiquities and Monuments Office
building, proposed graded building or site (1 set of plans)
having archaeological interest
Use of any new structural theories, materials Technical Services Unit, Buildings Department
or systems, sophisticated designs and (1 set of plans and 1 set of documents)
unconventional construction methods
A total of set(s) of additional plans and set(s) of documents for referral
Remark : This checklist is not meant to be exhaustive and more information may be required for individual structural
submission.

Date : Signature :
Full name of AP/RSE :
(Rev. 6/2023)
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 Appendix B
(PNAP ADM-8)

Paperless Submission of Structural Documents

The structural documents listed below may be submitted in CD/DVD

format, save for the statement signed by the RSE or RGE, as appropriate, confirming
compliance with the relevant acceptance criteria/standards/supervision requirements, etc.
should still be submitted in hard copy:

(a) Material documents and testing reports;

(b) Quality assurance documents such as quality assurance proposal,

quality assurance scheme, quality supervision plan/scheme and
quality assurance certificate;

(c) Quality supervision reports and audit reports;

(d) RGE’s Technically Competent Persons (TCPs) T5/Directorate

Site Supervisor (DSS) reports;

(e) Ground investigation reports and laboratory testing reports;

(f) Method statements/proposals for testing and construction works;

(g) Pre-construction condition survey reports;

(h) Appraisal reports on adjacent/existing buildings;

(i) Initial readings of monitoring stations and subsequent monitoring

readings during the course of works; and

(j) Site/works management documents such as public relations plan

and debris disposal and management system proposal.

(Rev. 6/2023)