While axial capacity is often the governing design criterion with driven piles, the reliability of predictions made by conventional procedures is generally poor. A long-term research program run at Imperial College London in conjunction with Industry, the UKs Health and Safety Executive and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council led to the new design recommendations published by Jardine and Chow in 1996. Their procedures offered considerable improvements and have been applied worldwide in many offshore, marine and onshore projects.

In this edition, the wide range of applications is emphasised. New sections are included on factors of safety, parameter selection, ageing processes, square and H piles, different soil types, group action, cyclic and seismic action. Well-known case histories are reviewed as detailed worked examples.