An efficient method is presented for the analysis of large group of piles subjected to dynamic loads of the horizontal, vertical and rocking directions. The finite element method is adopted to analyse the group of piles axisymmetrically arranged and loaded, and to properly consider geometric damping, the infinite elements are introduced. The structure, piles and soil can be modelled using axisymmetric elements because of their axisymmetry. Therefore, the method is computationally very efficient. In order to verify the method, the results of analysis for the 2×2 group piles are compared with those of Wolf and Von Arx (1978). The results indicate that two methods correlates very well. In addition, the variations of group effects and impedance for the rigid pile cap movements of the horizontal, vertical and rocking directions are studied with varying load frequencies. Also, the axisymmetric shell structures supported by the group of piles and the mat foundation are analysed for El Centro earthquake (1940) loading, and the characteristics of the responses (top displacement, base shear and base moment) are investigated. The present method may be easily applicable to the complex structures supported by the group of piles, because the finite element method is used.
