This British Standard contains guidelines and recommendations for the application of reinforcement techniques to soils, as fill or in situ, and to other fills. The standard is written in a limit state format and guidelines are provided of safety margins in terms of partial material factors and load factors for various applications and design lives.The code is divided into nine sections. Section1 identifies the scope, definitions and notation of the code. Section 2 describes the concepts and fundamental principles of reinforced soil. Section 3 provides recommendations for the use of materials where existing standards are available. Where materials are used which are not covered by existing standards or where known materials are to be used in ways not covered by existing standards section 4 gives recommendations for the testing and approval of such materials.Sections 5 to 9 relate to design, construction and maintenance of walls and abutments, slopes and foundations. They include specific recommendations for characterization of the soils to be used and other factors affecting the design and performance of the structures. Emphasis is placed on quality control both with regard to the consistency of the properties of the fill and reinforcing materials and to the handling of the materials on site.Much of the existing practice of reinforced soil is based on the use of limit equilibrium design methods which incorporate a global factor of safety. In keeping with the principles of limit state design, consistent structural dimensions and materials quantities have been maintained with existing practice by calibration of the partial factors in the limit state design relationships in this code. This approach is different to that adopted by some concurrent codes of practice, e.g. BS8002:1994, which rely on the use of “worst credible” parameters to develop an adequate margin of safety.The clauses are supplemented by a substantial list of references to enable the user to consider in greater depth the applications of the technique.