Geotechnical Foundations: Settlement and Consolidation

This lecture covers the limit states for surface foundations, including material strength, service conditions, and differential settlements. It explains the total deformation in foundation materials, the causes of differential settlements, and the estimation of induced stresses. The lecture delves into the dissipation of overpressures, porosity, and the non-linear behavior of soils. It also discusses the dissipation of pore overpressure, hydraulic head, and the drainage of excess pore water. The importance of preconsolidation constraints, primary and secondary consolidation, and the behavior of pre-consolidated soils are highlighted. Case studies on geotechnical failures and settlement predictions are presented, emphasizing the challenges in predicting settlements accurately.