ABSTRACT
The response of a pile group under axial and lateral loading is considered to be a factor which considerably affects the behavior of the superstructure. The suitability of the conventional load capacity approach to predict the actual behavior of pile foundations is considered questionable despite the fact that it is still widely used in practice. Present codes and regulations, essentially based on this approach, act as a restraint rather than as a stimulus and need some revision, (Mandolini et al. [1]). Continuous advances in technology, methods of analysis and design approaches have been the subject of intensive research during the past three decades. Nevertheless, many questions regarding the interaction between soil, piles and superstructure remain for the scientific community to resolve.
