Surcharge load will induce settlement and outward lateral displacement, while vacuum pressure will induce settlement and inward lateral displacement of a ground. Ideally, combination of surcharge load and vacuum pressure can reduce or minimize the lateral displacement. In this study, finite element method (FEM) supported by Geostudio/Sigma software were used to invaluate the factors influencing the lateral dispalcement of subsoil. For the conditions investigated, the results indicate that the outward lateral displacement increases with the increase of the ratio of surcharge load to vacuum pressure (RL) and the loading rate of the surcharge load (LR). To predict the lateral displacement of a ground under the combination of surcharge load and vacuum pressure, the loading conditions in terms of RL and LR value of the ground have to be considered.