AccordingtotheChineseGB50011-2001codeandtherecommendedprovisionsofFEMANEHRPandEUROCODE8,byusingshearwavevelocityandboreholedata,thesiteclassificationisevaluatedforatypicalsoftsoilsiteontheYantaiseacoast.Thesiteseismicgroundmotioneffectisanalyzedandtheinfluenceofthecoastalsoilondesigngroundmotionparametersisdiscussed.Theresultsshowthatthebriefsiteclassificationcannotrepresenttherealconditionsofasoftsoilsite;thesoftsoilonthecoasthasaremarkableimpactonthemagnitudeandspectrumofgroundmotionacceleration.Themagnificationonpeakaccelerationisbigger,however,duetothenonlineardeformationofthesoil.Themagnificationisreducednonlinearlywiththeincreaseofinputgroundmotion;thespectrumisbroadenedandthecharacteristicperiodelongatedonthesoftsoilsite.