A guide to accommodating or avoiding soil-induced lateral loading of piled foundations for highway bridges

Piled foundations and the structures which they support are vulnerable to the effects of lateral ground movements caused by the construction of adjacent earthworks. Such movements are most commonly encountered at abutments, which mark the transition between a new highway supported on earthworks and a structure. Similar movements may occur when widening roads near to existing structures, or when constructing new embankments close to buildings or services. The purpose of this Report is to identify circumstances where damage might occur and recommend measures to avoid such damage. Suitable construction methods have been recommended if piled foundations are to be located near to embankments, or vice versa. A set of procedures are presented to compare potential construction methods on both technical and economic grounds, reflecting the steps which a designer might follow when planning the highway works, and a worked example is presented. Appendices to the report provide details of the specific design methods used.