Ground types A to D range from rock or other rock-like formations to loose cohes ionless soils or soft cohesive soils.

Ground Type E is essentially characterised by a sharp stiffness contrast between a (soft or loose) surface layer (thickness varying between 5 to 20 m) and the underlying much stif fer formation. Two additional soil profiles (S1 and S2) are also included in Table 1.2.3. For s ites with ground conditions matching either one of these ground types, special studies for the de finition of the seismic action are required. For these types, and particularly for S2, the possibility of soil failure under the seismic action shall be taken into account. It is recalled that liquefaction leads normally to catastrop hic failures of structures resting on these formations. In such event the soil loses its bearing capacity, entailing the collapse of any foundation system previously relying on such bearing capacity. Special attention should be paid if the deposit is of ground type S1. Such soils typically have very low values of vs, low internal damping and an abnormally extended range of linear be haviour and can therefore produce anomalous seismic site amplification and soil-structure intera ction effects. In this case a special study to define the seismic action should be carried out, in order to establish the dependence of the response spectrum on the thickness and vs value of the soft cl ay/silt layer and on the stiffness contrast between this layer and the underlying materials.