A plane consolidation problem with discontinuous initial conditions

A plane consolidation problem for triangular load distribution was solved. A simplified consolidation model was used, which assumed the following: the compressibility of skeleton grains and fluid can be neglected; at the moment of load application, the initial distribution of fluid pressure is established throughout the soil; Terzaghi's hypothesis holds, according to which the whole further process of consolidation follows the equation of piezoconductivity for pressure. It was found that at a fixed moment of time, the pressure increases with the depth only in a certain domain above the surface, which is called the influence domain. Out of this domain, the pressure remains practically constant and the same as the initial distribution. The maximum soil settlement for an infinitely long consolidation time was calculated.