Small-strain soil stiffness and settlement prediction for piled foundations

The main factors affecting the load-settlement behaviour of the piles are reviewed. On the basis of available experimental evidence, it is shown that the stiffness of the soil backfigured from pile load tests bears a close relationship (within +/-30%) with that determined by in situ shear wave velocity measurements or by laboratory small strain tests, Such a finding has promising implications for both the interpretation of load tests in terms of soil properties and the prediction of settlement on the basis of geophysical investigations. Obviously, a wider evidence has to be collected before any definite conclusion can be drawn.