What is the primary factor affecting the consolidation of saturated clay soils?

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Q: What is the primary factor affecting the consolidation of saturated clay soils?

Solution: Effective stress is the primary factor affecting consolidation, as it governs the behavior of pore water pressure and soil skeleton.

Steps: 6

Step 1: Understand what consolidation means. It is the process where soil decreases in volume due to the expulsion of water from its pores.
Step 2: Recognize that saturated clay soils are soils that are fully filled with water.
Step 3: Learn about effective stress. It is the stress that contributes to the strength and stability of the soil skeleton, which is the solid part of the soil.
Step 4: Know that pore water pressure is the pressure of water within the soil pores. It affects how the soil behaves under load.
Step 5: Realize that effective stress is calculated by subtracting pore water pressure from total stress. This means that when pore water pressure changes, effective stress changes too.
Step 6: Conclude that effective stress is the primary factor affecting consolidation because it influences how much water can be expelled from the soil and how the soil will settle.