The presence of a low permeability layer decreases the settlement rate as it restricts the flow of pore water.

The coefficient of consolidation (Cv) is primarily dependent on the soil's permeability and compressibility.

Preloading reduces future settlement by accelerating the consolidation process and increasing the effective stress in the soil.

Permeability is the primary factor affecting the rate of consolidation, as it determines how quickly pore water can escape from the soil.

The typical value of the consolidation settlement ratio (S) for clay soils is between 0.5 to 1.0.

Initial moisture content does not directly influence the magnitude of primary consolidation settlement; it is more related to the soil's properties.

Logarithmic time fitting is a common method used to predict secondary consolidation settlement in soils.