Soft clay soils pose significant challenges for infrastructure development due to their low bearing capacity and tendency to undergo substantial settlement under heavy loads. These issues are particularly critical for transport embankments, where static and dynamic loads can lead to elevated excess pore water pressures, reduced bearing capacity, and deformations, especially under impeded drainage conditions. Pile foundations and Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVDs) are commonly employed as ground improvement techniques to address these challenges individually, but their combined application in soft clay environments remains underexplored. This study utilises a numerical model to analyse the interaction effects of piles and PVDs on soft clay soils, aiming to optimise their combined use in terms of the spacing between piles and PVDs.