NHBC Standards 2011

9.2 Drives, paths and landscaping

MATERIALS STANDARDS

9.2 - M1Materials standards
9.2 - M2Concrete
9.2 - M3All materials

9.2 - M1
All materials shall:
(a) meet the Technical Requirements
(b) take account of the design
 

Materials that comply with the design and the guidance below will be acceptable for drives, paths and landscaping.

Materials for drives, paths and landscaping should comply with all relevant standards, including those listed below. Where no standard exists, Technical Requirement R3 applies (see Chapter 1.1 'Introduction to the Standards and Technical Requirements').

References to British Standards and Codes of Practice include those made under the Construction Products Directive (89/106/EEC) and, in particular, appropriate European Technical Specifications approved by a European Committee for Standardisation (CEN).

CONCRETE

9.2 - M2
Concrete shall be of a mix design which will:
(a) achieve sufficient strength for its purpose
(b) be sufficiently durable to remain unaffected by chemical or frost action
 

For guidance on the specification and use of concrete, reference should be made to Chapter 2.1 'Concrete and its reinforcement' (Design) and Appendix 9.2-A.

ALL MATERIALS

9.2 - M3
All materials shall be suitable for their intended use
 

Items to be taken into account include:

(a) asphalts and macadam

Hot rolled and mastic asphalts and macadam should comply with relevant standards, including:

BS 594Hot rolled asphalt for roads and other paved areas
BS 1447Specification for mastic asphalt (limestone fine aggregate) for roads, footways and pavings in building
BS 4987Coated macadam for roads and other paved areas.
 

(b) sub-base material and aggregates 

Sub-base for different road types should be Type 1 to clause 803 Table 8/2, MCHWI Series 800.

Aggregates used in asphalt and macadam mixtures and unbound aggregate (graded 15/20 mm gravel) for surfacing should comply with relevant standards, including:

BS EN 13043Aggregates for bituminous mixtures and surface treatments for roads, airfields and other trafficked areas
PD 6682Part 2 - Guidance on the use of BS EN 13043
BS EN 13242Aggregates for unbound and hydraulically bound materials
PD 6682Part 6 - Guidance on the use of BS EN 13242.

(c) blocks, slabs and pavers

 

Blocks, slabs, pavers, edgings, etc should comply with relevant standards, including:

BS EN 771Specification for masonry units
BS 6677Part 1 : Clay and calcium silicate pavers for flexible pavements : Specification for pavers
BS 6717Precast, unreinforced concrete paving blocks - Requirements and test methods
BS 7263Precast concrete flags, kerbs, channels, edgings and quadrants
BS 7533Pavements constructed with clay natural stone or concrete pavers.

(d) materials for freestanding walls

Materials in accordance with BRE Good Building Guide 14 'Building brick or blockwork freestanding walls' will be acceptable.

(e) materials for retaining walls

Materials in accordance with BRE Good Building Guide 27 'Building brickwork or blockwork retaining walls' will be acceptable.

(f) timber decking

Materials in accordance with guidance published by the Timber Decking Association will be acceptable.

(g) topsoil

Topsoil quality should be such that it will not present a hazard to users of the garden area. BS 3882 and the Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment (CLEA) guidelines provide advice on determining the suitability of topsoil.