R401.4

Section R401.4 is titled 'Soil tests' and covers the requirements for determining the necessity for testing to assure the ground will properly support a structure. Types of soil that raise a red flag, and the Building Official's authority to require soil tests, approve the company performing such tests, and the method used for testing is established. The purpose of this section is to prevent structural failure.

The model shows a vane shear test being performed, which is only one of many types of tests used by geotechnical professionals to assess soils.