Investigation of Two-Dimensional Interaction between Piles due to Pile Driving Action

Pile driving displaces adjacent piles out of their position. This effect is simulated numerically in this work by using the finite element analysis package PLAXIS. For simplicity, the analysis is done under plane strain conditions and linear elastic material behaviour, which in fact converts the pile into infinitely long walls. Pile driving is modeled by progressive expansion of a cavity. The smear zone is modeled around the pile using material of lower stiffness to take into account the compression of soil around the pile. A parametric study is carried out to investigate the predicted lateral displacement of the head of a pile due to driving of an adjacent pile, by varying the stiffness of the soil and spacing between piles.