Cumulative lateral soil displacement due to pile driving in soft clay

Installation of preformed piles in clay causes lateral displacements of soil and of foundations of nearby structures embedded in the ground. The problem has been assessed by first analyzing the displacement effects of a single pile based on model tests and numerical analyses. Lateral soil displacement can be predicted using cavity expansion theory. Model tests were performed to study lateral displacements of soil due to installation of a group of piles. The results of theoretical analyses and model tests were compared with field measurements. A method is proposed to estimate cumulative lateral soil displacements caused by the installation of a pile group. The effect of sloping ground on lateral soil movements is addressed. Prediction of lateral soil displacement due to installation of several rows of piles in clay is illustrated by a practical example.