Abstract
The advent of limit state design and more recently, performance-based design philosophy is putting pressure on the codes of many countries. This problem is further exacerbated by the ongoing globalisation as a result of the establishment of WTO and also the numerous free trade agreements Singapore has entered into or under negotiation. Codes may have to cross boundaries in the future and some degree of harmonisation and standardisation may be necessary. Singapore's geotechnical codes are traditionally based on British codes, but the present British codes will be gradually subsumed within the Eurocode framework. The manner in which Singapore, as a small country with limited financial and manpower resources, copes with these impending changes will be instructive for other countries. This paper first reviews the current state of practice in Singapore and the organisation structure for code drafting and implementation. Existing problems quite typical of most countries with limited resources are highlighted. Possible solutions and strategies to accommodate pressures toward harmonisation and unification of design philosophies are discussed. One important initiative is an Asian Forum on Codes Harmonisation that currently is being mooted.