DFI Journal - The Journal of the Deep Foundations Institute
Volume 19, Issue 2, November 2025
DOI: 10.37308/DFIJnl.20240724.312
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Displacements and Pressures Caused by Drilled Displacement Piles
Article Type: Research Paper
Oweis, Issa A,, & Gao, Shengyan
Abstract
Drilled displacement Piles (DDP) produce displacements that could affect piles in a group or outside the group. This paper presents a case where movements generated by nine DDPs installed into soft to medium clay were monitored by a soil inclinometer. Pressure cells were installed at three locations with varied levels to assess changes in horizontal stress and pore water pressures at cell locations. A cavity expansion model (CEM) and finite element simulation were used to predict displacements and changes of the horizontal stresses. Displacements were reasonably predicted by both the simple CEM and finite element simulation. Monitored changes in total stress and pore water pressures were not well predicted. The poor predictions of stresses are attributed to the complex multi-directional stress conditions, but pressure cell rotation appears to be a major reason.
Keywords:
drilled displacement piles, geotechnical monitoring, stresses, pore water pressures, cavity expansion.