What is the effect of increasing the load on a saturated clay layer?
Practice Questions
Q1
What is the effect of increasing the load on a saturated clay layer?
Increases immediate settlement only
Increases both immediate and consolidation settlement
Decreases settlement
Has no effect on settlement
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What is the effect of increasing the load on a saturated clay layer?
Step 1: Understand what a saturated clay layer is. It is clay that is fully soaked with water.
Step 2: Recognize that when we add a load (like a building) on top of the clay, it puts extra pressure on the soil.
Step 3: Know that this extra pressure causes the clay to compress or settle immediately. This is called immediate settlement.
Step 4: Realize that over time, the water in the clay will slowly move out to relieve some of the pressure. This process is called consolidation.
Step 5: Understand that increasing the load will lead to both immediate settlement and more consolidation settlement as the soil adjusts to the new weight.
