Process / pipelineSoil mechanics

Terzaghi Consolidation

Terzaghi consolidation theory describes how water-saturated clay soils compress over time as excess pore water pressure dissipates and effective stress increases. Formulated by Karl Terzaghi in 1943, this foundational theory enables prediction of settlement rates for foundations on compressible soils, a critical design concern in geotechnical engineering.

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Sources

  1. Terzaghi, K. (1943). Theoretical Soil Mechanics. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 0-471-85305-1
  2. Taylor, D. W. (1948). Fundamentals of Soil Mechanics. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 0-471-85305-1
  3. Kelly, R. B. (1995). Settlement of embankments on soft soils. Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, 121(5), 373-384. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1995)121:5(373)

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Referenced by

ScholarGateTerzaghi Consolidation (Terzaghi One-Dimensional Consolidation Theory). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/civil-engineering/terzaghi-consolidation