Assessment of the impact of pile driving on slope stability

Abstract

Driving piles near slopes can be challenging in terms of temporarily reducing slope stability, specifically in the presence of sensitive clay or lenses of sand and silt in the ground. There is currently no standard method for calculating the reduced safety factor of a slope due to pile driving, even though this has been the initiating cause for a few landslides in the Nordic countries, Canada, and the United States, among others. This paper investigates some of these cases of slope failure, looks into the possible failure mechanisms and assesses the traditional methods used to calculate the reduced factor of safety of the slope during pile driving. Finally, the paper provides suggestions for better evaluation of pile driving effects on slope stability based on the results of numerical analyses in Plaxis 2D Geotechnical finite element package, coupled with soil mechanics theory and project experience.

Assessment of the impact of pile driving on slope stability