A New Approach for the Solution of One-Dimensional Consolidation Equation in Saturated Soils Under Various Time-Varying Loads

A unified approach for solving the one-dimensional consolidation equation is introduced for the first time in geotechnical engineering. The one-dimensional consolidation partial differential equation is solved through a combined approach employing the complementary functions method (CFM) and Laplace transform. Using the coded program prepared in the FORTRAN, various time-varying loads are applied to different soil types to obtain the response of excess pore water pressure. The comparison demonstrated an excellent agreement, thus proving the effectiveness, applicability, and capability of the proposed approach in solving the governing canonical equations. The study’s findings reveal that sand soil (high permeability) exhibits a less pronounced cyclic response under various cyclic loads compared to other soil types, whereas clay soil (low permeability) exhibits significant periodicity in its response. The investigation into the effect of soil properties on one-dimensional consolidation indicates that the dissipation of excess pore water pressure occurs relatively quickly in the case of highly permeable soils and gradually slows down as the soil permeability decreases. Due to the lower permeability of clay soil, the full dissipation of excess pore water pressure takes a much longer time compared to other soil types. Consequently, this process occurs over a more extended period in clay soil.