Considering the exponential seepage flow law in soil and the nonlinear consolidation behavior of soil

the equations and solution conditions governing 1 D nonlinear large-strain consolidation

in which the excess pore water pressure served as variable

were founded in Lagrangian coordinates; and its numerical solutions were obtained by finite difference method. On condition that the exponential seepage flow law was degenerated into Darcy’s law; the reliability of numerical solutions was testified by comparing the finite difference solutions to semi-analytical solutions. Finally

the consolidation behavior of 1-D non-linear large strain consolidation with exponential flow law were analyzed; and the results show that the rate of nonlinear large strain consolidation of soft clay slows down with increasing the external load in case of 1

and accelerates with increasing the external load in case of 1. The rate of nonlinear large strain consolidation is faster than that of nonlinear small strain consolidation; and the difference between them may intensify with increasing the external load. Furthermore

the final settlement by the theory of large strain consolidation is smaller than that of small strain consolidation

and the difference between them also may intensify with increasing the external load.