This is "Soil Type(Site Class)". The available choices change based on the selected Building Code.

For 1995 ASCE7, 1998 ASCE7, 1996 MBMA, 2002 New York, 2000 IBC and 2003 IBC Building Codes the choices are:

(A) Hard Rock
(B) Rock
(C) Very Dense Soil & Soft Rock
(D) Stiff Soil
(E) Soil

For 1997 SBC, 1997 SBC (with ASCE7-95 Wind), 2002 North Carolina, 1997 Massachusetts, 1996 BOCA and 1999 BOCA Building Codes the choices are:

(S1) Rock
(S2) Stiff Clay
(S3) Soft to Medium Stiff Clay
(S4) Soft Clay

For 1997 UBC and 1994 UBC Building Codes the choices are:

(SA) Hard Rock
(SB) Rock
(SC) Very Dense Soil & Soft Rock
(SD) Stiff Soil
(SE) Soil

For National Building Code of CANADA the choices are:

(1) Rock,dense/very dense coarse-grain (0-15M)
(2) Compact coarse-grain (0-15M)
(3) Very loose & loose coarse-grain(>15M)
(4) Very soft & soft fine-grain(>15M)

For any other selected Building Code this prompt will show N/A and will be grayed out and unavailable.
Select the choice that most closely matches the actual jobsite conditions or description from a soils report from the jobsite.

Soil Type(Site Class) Note:
Soil types [A, B or C], [S1, S2 or S3], [Sa, Sb or SC], [1, 2 or 3] result in smaller forces imposed on a building during a seismic event. In the absence of a soils report prepared by a licensed design professional the building code specifies the worst case, soil type(Site Class) [D], [4], [SD], [S4] be used by the building designer for determining seismic forces. Some manufactures requires a letter and copy of a soils report from a registered design professional to document that soil type(Site Class) [A, B or C], [S1, S2 or S3], [Sa, Sb or SC], [1, 2 or 3] exists at the site. Otherwise the conservative soil type(Site Class) [D], [4], [SD], [S4] must be assumed for design. Ordinarily, for buildings with metal roof and wall and no collateral materials with high mass, specifying the conservative soil type(Site Class) will not affect the design or price of materials supplied by some manufactures.