Analytical layer-element method for non-axisymmetric consolidation of multilayered soils

A numerically efficient and stable method is developed to analyze Biot's consolidation of multilayered soils subjected to non-axisymmetric loading in arbitrary depth. By the application of a LaplaceHankel transform and a Fourier expansion, the governing equations are solved analytically. Then, the analytical layer-element (i.e. a symmetric stiffness matrix) describing the relationship between generalized displacements and stresses of a layer is exactly derived in the transformed domain. Considering the continuity conditions between adjacent layers, the global stiffness matrix of multilayered soils is obtained by assembling the inter-related layer-elements. Once the solution in the LaplaceHankel transformed domain that satisfies the boundary conditions has been obtained, the actual solution can be derived by the inversion of the LaplaceHankel transform. Finally, numerical examples are presented to verify the theory and to study the influence of the layered soil properties and time history on the consolidation behavior. Copyright (c) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.