{"data":{"id":"us-nyc/n.y.c.-admin.-code-bc-1818","jurisdiction":"us-nyc","citation":"N.Y.C. Admin. Code § BC 1818","heading":"Section BC 1818: Geotechnical Peer Review","body":"1818.1 General.\n\nThe provisions of this section specify where geotechnical peer review is required, how and by whom it is to be performed.\n\n1818.2 Where required.\n\nA geotechnical peer review shall be performed and a report shall be required in the following instances:\n\n1. Where structural peer review is required pursuant to Section 1618.\n\n2. For structures of Risk Category III or IV where the seismic site class is Site Class F.\n\n3. Where performance based foundation design is utilized.\n\n4. As required by the commissioner.\n\n1818.3 Geotechnical peer review qualifications.\n\nThe geotechnical peer review shall be performed by a qualified independent geotechnical engineer who has been retained by or on behalf of the owner. A geotechnical peer reviewer shall meet the requirements of the rules of the department.\n\n1818.3.1 Independence.\n\nIn order to satisfy the requirement that the peer reviewer be independent, the department requires that the peer reviewer must not engage in any activities that may conflict with their objective judgment and integrity, including but not limited to having a financial and/or other interest in the design, construction, installation, manufacture or maintenance of structures or components that they are reviewing.\n\n1818.4 Extent of geotechnical peer review.\n\nThe extent of the geotechnical peer review shall be performed in accordance with Section 1818.4.1.\n\n1818.4.1 Scope.\n\nThe geotechnical peer reviewer shall review the plans and specifications submitted with the permit application for general compliance with the foundation design provisions of this code. The reviewing engineer shall perform the following tasks at a minimum:\n\n1. Confirm that the subsurface investigation meets the requirements of this code.\n\n2. Confirm that the geotechnical report and supplemental reports, including foundation recommendations and testing, meet the requirements of this code.\n\n3. Provide independent check on foundation capacities. This check must include the structural and geotechnical capacity of the foundation element, if not covered by the structural peer review.\n\n4. Where uplift resistance is required, provide independent check on prestressed anchor or pile design.\n\n5. Perform independent settlement calculations.\n\n6. Confirm the design assumptions made by the geotechnical and structural engineers pertaining to the soil-foundation structure interaction are coordinated and consistent.\n\n7. Confirm that potential impacts on adjacent structures due to foundation construction have been addressed in accordance with this code.\n\n8. Review seismic analysis including any site-specific analysis, associated mitigation methods, and analyses pertaining to liquefaction for conformance with codes.\n\n1818.5 Geotechnical peer review report.\n\nThe geotechnical peer review report shall comply with Section 1818.5.1 through 1818.5.3.\n\n1818.5.1 General.\n\nThe reviewing engineer shall submit a report to the department stating whether or not the geotechnical design shown on the plans, reports and specifications generally conforms to the requirements of this code.\n\n1818.5.2 Contents.\n\nThe report shall demonstrate, at a minimum, compliance with Items 1 through 8 of Section 1818.4.1. In addition, the report shall also include the following:\n\n1. The codes and standards used in the geotechnical design of the project.\n\n2. The basis for design criteria that are not specified directly in applicable codes and standards. This should include reports by consultants such as geotechnical reports and site specific seismic studies. Generally, the report should confirm that existing conditions at the site have been investigated appropriately and that the design of the proposed foundations is in general conformance with these conditions.\n\n3. Basis of performance based design and its appropriateness of use.\n\n4. A statement that the qualification and independence of the peer reviewer is in accordance with Section 1818.3.\n\n5. Peer review reports shall provide an unconditional statement that must be either an acceptance or rejection of code compliance of the geotechnical design required to be reviewed by this section.\n\n1818.5.3 Phased submission.\n\nIf an application is submitted for a permit for the construction of foundations or any other part of a building before the construction documents for the whole building have been submitted, then the geotechnical peer review and report shall be phased. The geotechnical peer reviewer shall be provided with sufficient information on which to make a geotechnical peer review of the phased submission. In addition to the requirements of this section, phased submission of the report shall include any changes made to the initial geotechnical peer review evaluation. The geotechnical peer review report need not be submitted concurrently with the structural peer review report.\n\n1818.6 Responsibility.\n\nResponsibility shall be as provided for in Section 1818.6.1 through 1818.6.4.\n\n1818.6.1 Engineer of record.\n\nThe engineer of record for the foundation design shall retain sole responsibility for the geotechnical design. The activities and reports of the geotechnical peer reviewer shall not relieve the engineer of record for the foundation design of this responsibility.\n\n1818.6.2 Geotechnical peer reviewer.\n\nThe geotechnical peer reviewer's report states his or her opinion regarding the design by the engineer of record for the foundation design. The standard of care to which the geotechnical peer reviewer shall be held in the performance of the geotechnical peer review and report is that level of skill and care are consistent with geotechnical peer review services performed by professional engineers licensed in the State of New York for similar type projects. The geotechnical peer reviewer shall not be responsible for the accuracy of the subsurface investigation data or the conclusions of the structural peer review reports.\n\n1818.6.3 Revisions of design.\n\nThe engineer of record for the foundation design shall identify that a new review is required based upon changes to the design documents relevant to the scope of the peer review. The geotechnical peer reviewer shall review the items that have been affected and shall revise the geotechnical peer review report.\n\n1818.6.4 Disputes.\n\nWhen a dispute arises between the applicant of record and the peer reviewer regarding compliance with Section 1818 that cannot be resolved by these parties, such dispute shall be reported to the department in the form of a letter from the applicant of record. The department may make a final decision or may accept a change of the peer reviewer.\n\n1818.7 Change to peer reviewer.\n\nThe peer reviewer cannot be changed without the express consent of the department. The current peer reviewer must submit both a written letter to the borough commissioner detailing the reason for the withdrawal request and a report of the geotechnical peer review findings to date. If a change of peer reviewer is approved, a revised PW1 must be submitted indicating the replacement peer reviewer.","path":["New York City Administrative Code","Title 28","Chapter 7: New York City Building Code"],"source_url":"https://files.amlegal.com/pdffiles/NewYorkCity/Admin/XML.zip","current_through":"Local Law 2026/135 (enacted August 31, 2026)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-06T02:48:57Z","sha256":"4af5814aee143a9d79c81ea740f55b205587fb0b804cd9bb44fddf3dd30cdc90","source_id":"us-nyc","stale":false,"prev":"us-nyc/n.y.c.-admin.-code-bc-1817","next":"us-nyc/n.y.c.-admin.-code-bc-1901"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}