What is the primary cause of settlement in saturated soils?

What is the primary cause of settlement in saturated soils?

Step 1: Understand what saturated soils are. Saturated soils are soils that are completely filled with water in their pores.
Step 2: Learn about pore water pressure. This is the pressure exerted by water within the soil's pores.
Step 3: Know what consolidation means. Consolidation is the process where soil volume decreases over time as water is expelled from the pores.
Step 4: Realize that when weight is added to saturated soil (like a building), it increases pore water pressure.
Step 5: Understand that over time, the pore water pressure decreases as water slowly drains out, allowing the soil particles to move closer together.
Step 6: Recognize that this movement of soil particles closer together leads to settlement, which is the sinking or lowering of the ground.

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