In the analysis of consolidation of naturally saturated soft clay with strong structure

the influence of sedimentation on self-weight stress

the nonlinear variation of compressibility and permeability were considered. The one-dimensional large strain consolidation equations under arbitrary loading conditions were derived and solved by a semi-analytical method. Then the solutions were degraded into solutions of a non-structured saturated soft clay consolidation theory. By comparing the degraded semi-analytical solutions with the existing large strain consolidation solutions

the solutions of the one-dimensional large strain consolidation equations were proved to be right. At last

the consolidation behaviours of semi-analytical solutions were compared with the theoretical solutions of small strain consolidation theory and the the theoretical solution of the consolidation theory without considering the structure. The comparison results show that the settlement at any time of large strain consolidation theory is greater than that of the small strain consolidation theory

and the difference between the two increases with the increase of the load. When considering the structure of the soft soil

the settlement of large strain consolidation is smaller than the calculated value without considering the soil structure.