ONE DIMENSIONAL CONSOLIDATION SOLUTION OF MULTI-LAYERED SOIL BY RESISTANCE NETWORK METHOD

Because of the complexity of one-dimensional consolidation problem for layered soil, the existing analytical solutions are quite miscellaneous and un-convenient to be applied in practical engineering. In this paper, the one-dimensional multi-layered consolidation problem was analyzed by using the principle of Liebmann’s resistance network analogue and considering the initial pore pressure distribution and arbitrary loading condition. Due to the uniform matrix of the solution under complicated situations, it is convenient for computational programming and engineering application. The validity of this method was demonstrated through a comparison with exact solutions. Furthermore, the resistance network analogue method solution was applied to the problem of one-dimensional consolidation of three layered soil. Some diagrams were given and the thickness of soil, the compression modulus and the vertical coefficient of permeability of each layer on the consolidation behavior of layered soil were discussed.