Numerical Solutions for Biot's Consolidation of Layered Soil

Abstract

In this paper, Biot's consolidation of layered soil is solved by the finite layer (strip) method based on quasi‐variational as well as least square approaches. The two‐ (three‐) dimensional medium is idealized by as many strips (layers) as is necessary to achieve the required accuracy, and the formulation of the relevant matrices requires only simple mathematics involving polynomials and Fourier series, and therefore is much simpler to compare with other techniques using intergral transforms. Examples are computed and the results compare favorably with known solutions.