Change default of 'SoilValue' from 0 to 'n/a'

[michael-fehlmann]

Description

According to the current OED specs the 'SoilValue' defaults to 0 which can be wrong information. For example, when the SoilValue refers to vs30 (m/s) (i.e. 'SoilType' is 1) the default value of 0 has an actual meaning (0 m/s) and can lead to wrong assumptions in the modelling further down the road. Thus the request is to change the default to 'n/a' instead.

Reasons for change

In a Swiss Re Oasis model implementation, vulnerability curves are picked based on the vs30 'SoilValue', while assumptions are made in the code in case 'SoilValue' is 'n/a' (no information available) based on other information. With newer Oasis versions enforcing the OED default values, i.e. 'SoilValue' defaulting to 0, wrong vulnerability curves are picked.

Scope of change

• Location File
• Accounts File
• Reinsurance Scope
• Reinsurance Info

Impact of change

Data type, default values, are blanks allowed, list valid values

Field Name	Data type	Default values	Blanks allowed	Valid values
SoilValue	float	n/a	YES	[0,)

[MattDonovan82]

@michael-fehlmann this makes sense.

@johcarter @aiste-kalinauskaite would changing this have any implications elsewhere? Would using "N/A" have any data formatting issues?

[MattDonovan82]

We ok to use 'n/a' here @johcarter? @aiste-kalinauskaite ?

[johcarter]

This is the purpose of the SoilType field (0=no information, 1 = VS30 soil type), to differentiate between SoilValue=0 meaning no info and between meaning 0 m/s. @michael-fehlmann Could you read the value of SoilType into your model logic to map the SoilType,SoilValue value pair to the appropriate vuln curve?

[michael-fehlmann]

ok thanks @johcarter for this clarification, we just discussed this internally and your proposal works for our use case, i.e. for no information we will use SoilType=0 and SoilValue=0.

[johcarter]

No change needed as SoilType field can be used to differentiate between the two cases where SoilValue=0. Closing issue

[MattDonovan82]

I just added to the description of SoilValue to read "The value associated with the SoilType and the corresponding unit" just to be explicit. To clarify, a combination of 0,0 means no soil information but if there is soil information (i.e. 30 metres/second to shear wave velocity to 30m), it would be:

SoilType = 1
SoilValue = 30

A value of 1 must be entered into SoilType when putting in a SoilValue.

[aiste-kalinauskaite]

@johcarter , @MattDonovan82

In OED v3.2 data type for SoilType has been changed into float. There is no documentation about it nor has it been mentioned in the release notes. I think the change is unnecessary and SoilType should remain as tinyint (or any other integer type, in case there are more categories in the future).

[benhayes21]

changes to be reverted

[johcarter]

replaced by new issue #195 for clarity