CHAPTER-6 ONE-DIMENSIONAL

CONSOLIDATION SETTLEMENT OF
FINE SOILS
In this chapter, we will consider 1D-consolidation
settlement (settlement consolidation to the vertical
direction) of fine-grained soils. Under load, all soils will
settle, causing settlement of structures founded on or
within them. If the settlement is not kept to a tolerable
limit, the desired use of the structure may be impaired and
the design life of the structure may be reduced. Structures
may settle uniformly or no uniformly. The latter is called
differential settlement and is often the crucial design
consideration.
1
Total Settlement
• The total settlement usually consists of three parts—immediate or
elastic compression, primary consolidation, and secondary
compression, �� = �� + �� + ��
• The elastic Settlement can be obtained by the concepts of chapter 5.
• Here in this chapter, we will deal with the calculation of primary
consolidation settlement.

Definition of Terms
• Consolidation is the time-dependent settlement of soils resulting
from the expulsion of water from the soil pores
• Primary consolidation: is the change in volume of a fi ne-grained
soil caused by the expulsion of water from the voids and the transfer
of stress from the excess porewater pressure to the soil particles.

2
• Secondary compression is the change in volume of a fi ne-grained
soil caused by the adjustment of the soil fabric (internal structure)
after primary consolidation has been completed.
• Secondary compression is the change in volume of fine-grained
soils caused by the adjustment of the soil fabric (internal structure)
after primary consolidation has been completed
• The rate of settlement from secondary compression is very slow
compared with primary consolidation.
• Preconsolidation pressure (Pc): is a maximum pressure exerted
on soil for specified depth. (Will be determined from laboratory
test- Consolidation test)
• Effective over burden pressure (σ’o): is the effective surcharge
load of soil on the specified depth
• Overconsolidation Ratio (OCR): Pc/σ’o

3
• The Increase stress load (Δσ): the surface/structural load at in
different depth. As the depth increases, will decreases Δσ. Most of
the time the force is dissipated in ratio of ( 2 V:1 H)
• Total Stress (σf): is the sum of the effective overburden pressure
and the increase stress. σf = σ’o + Δσ
• Clay soil can be either;
a) Normally Consolidated Soil: When the current effective over
burden pressure is equal to the maximum past pressure or
preconsolidation pressure. (σ’o = Pc). Here the settlement
would be large.
b) Overconsolidated Soil: When the current overburden stress is
less than the past maximum pressure that the soil has
experienced or the preconsolidation pressure. (σ’o < Pc and/or
σ’o + Δσ < Pc). Here the settlement would be small.

4
1D-Conslolidation laboratory result interpretations

Slope =Cc

Slope =Cr

Over consolidated clay Normally

consolidated clay

Pc

5
• To calculate primary consolidation settlement there are three
cases;
i. Case-I: If σ’f = Pc (For normally consolidated clay)
�� �’�
�� = ∗ �� ∗ ���10
1 + �� �’�
ii. Case-II: σ’f = σ’o + Δσ < Pc (Overconsolidated clay)
�� �’�
�� = ∗ �� ∗ ���10
1+�� �’�
iii. Case-III: σ’o < Pc< σf = σ’o + Δσ (Overconsolidated clay)
�� �’� ��
�� = ∗ {�� ∗ ���10 + �� ∗ ���10 }
1 + �� �� �’�

Where; Ho is the thickness of the clay layer.

Cc and Cr are compression and recompression indexes
respectively (the values will be determined from the laboratory
tests)
6
 Thick Soil Layers (Ho>2m)

• For better accuracy, when dealing with thick layers (H0 > 2 m),
you should divide the soil layer into sub layers (about two to
five sub layers) and find the settlement for each sub layer.
• Add up the settlement of each sub layer to find the total primary
consolidation settlement.
• You must remember that the value of H0 in the primary
consolidation equations is the thickness of the sub layer.

7
Differences between Compaction and Consolidation
[Link] Consolidation Compaction
1 Gradual process of Rapid process of reduction of the
reduction of the volume of volume of the soil by mechanical
the soil under sustained , (dynamic) means like rolling,
static loading like building tamping and vibration.
load, highway load, dam
load….

2 Reduction in volume is Reduction in volume is caused by

caused by squeezing out of expulsion of air from the void
water from the void spaces spaces of a partially saturated soil
of a saturated soil at unaltered water content
3 It occurs by nature when a It is an artificial process
static load is applied

8
Example: “MA” Consultant firm plans to design a building for the office
purposes. Based on the design of consultant, the footing will receive 160 kPa
load from a column. In the designing of footing, a square shallow footing which
has 2.5 x 2.5 m size at 1.5 m footing depth is used.
Based on soil exploration, the soil profile at a site for a proposed office building
consists of a clay 11.5 m thick overlying on hard rock. The groundwater table
also was observed at 1 m below the ground surface. The soil above ground water
table is saturated by capillary rise. The average value of different soil properties
are described below in the table. Then, calculate primary consolidation settlement
for the clay layer. Solve this problem by dividing the soil by using two equal
layers.
Use the approximate method of stress dispersion technique to get the stresses at
each level (slope of dispersion 2V:1H).

Soil Properties Values

Void ratio 0.6

Saturated unit weight (kN/m3) 18.5
Compression index 0.15
Recompression index 0.01
9
Preconsolidation pressure @ ground surface (kPa) 35
Solution;
ØFirst determine the force load at the footing level in kN or N, F,
F= Δσ * Area (at the footing depth)= 160 kPa*(2.5m*2.5m) = 1000 kN.
• As depth increases the stress (pressure) decrease, since the area
increases and the force is constant.
ØThe area at any depth z from the base of footing, Af
Af= (B+z)*(L+z) = (2.5+z)*(2.5+z)
ØDivide the layer at least in to two equal layers which has 5m and 5m.
vDetermine the increase stress (Δσ) at each center
• Determine the area of stress contact at the center of each soil layers,
Af
Af1 = (2.5+5/2)*(2.5+5/2) = 25 m2.
Af2 = (2.5+5+5/2)*(2.5+5+5/2) = 100 m2.
• Determine the increase stress (Δσ) at the center of each soil layers
Δσ1 =F/Af1 = 1000/25 =40 kPa.
Δσ2 =F/Af2 = 1000/100 =10 kPa. 10
• Determine the effective overburden pressure (�′� ) at each
center of soil layers.
�′�1 = 1 ∗ ������ + (0.5 + 5/2) ∗ �′ �����
�′�1 =1*18.5+3*(18.5-9.81) = 44.57 kPa
�′�2 = 1 ∗ ������ + (0.5 + 5 + 5/2) ∗ �′ �����
�′�2 =1*18.5+8*(18.5-9.81) = 88.02 kPa
• Determine the total effective stress (�′� ) at each center of soil layers.
�′� = �′� +Δσ
�′�1 = �′�1 + Δσ1 = 44.57 + 40 = 84.57 kPa
�′�2 = �′�2 + Δσ2 = 10 + 88.02 = 98.02 kPa
• Determine the preconsolidation pressure (PC) at each center of soil
layers.
��1 = �� (�� ������ �������) + �′�1 = 35 + 44.57 = 79.57 kPa
��2 = �� (�� ������ �������) + �′�2 = 35 + 88.02 = 123.02 kPa
11
• Compare �′� , �� ��� �′� and then select appropriate equation to
determine the settlement at each layers.
• Layer -1;
�′�1 = 44.57 ��� < ��1 = 79.57 ��� < �′�1 = 84.57 ���, then;
�� �’� ��
��1 = ∗ �� ∗ ���10 + �� ∗ ���10
1 + �� �� �’�
5 84.57 79.57
��1 = ∗ 0.15 ∗ ���10 + 0.01 ∗ ���10
1+0.6 79.57 44.57
��1 = 0.02027 m = 20.27 mm.
• Layer -2;
�′�2 = 88.02 ��� < �′�2 = 98.02 ��� < ��2 = 123.02 ���, then;
�� �’�
��2 = ∗ �� ∗ ���10
1 + �� �’�
5 98.02
��2 = ∗ 0.01 ∗ ���10 = 0.00146 m = 1.46 mm
1+0.6 88.02
vTherefore, the primary consolidation settlement, Sc = SC1+SC2 =
20.27+1.46 = 21.73 mm
12
 …The END…
I thank you
for attention!!!
ስ ላ ዳ መጣች ሁ ኝ ሁ ሉ ፤
አ መሰ ገ ን ሁ ፡ ፡ 13