Hyperbolic Method for Consolidation Analysis

The analysis of consolidation in the field is not easy, because the soil properties are often difficult to determine, especially when the clay deposit is very soft and nonhomogeneous. To monitor the consolidation in such cases, a method that assumes that the settlement (s) versus time (t) behavior approaches a straight line in a t/s versus t diagram after some time is proposed. This straight line describes a hyperbolic relation, hence the term hyperbolic method. The inverse of the slope of this line would then yield the ultimate settlement. Thus, once sufficient data are available during the early stage for the settlement to reach the hyperbolic line, the subsequent consolidation can be predicted. Previously, this method was recognized to work for infinitesimal strain consolidation. Through analytical and numerical means, and using both laboratory and field data, the method is now extended to a wide range of conditions, including finite strain, nonlinear properties, and nonhomogeneous conditions. The attractiveness of the method lies in its simplicity and accuracy in the field.