The erodibility of clay exhibits significant variability across different influencing factors. The existing research using compaction approach for specimen preparation neglected the non-uniformity in soil specimens and is unsuitable for high plasticity clay. In this study

the saturated preconsolidation approach was used to prepare uniform kaolinite specimens to simulate natural consolidating conditions. The prepared specimens were then analyzed using a hole erosion analyzer

and the surface morphology of the eroded hole was quantified using a 3D scanner. A total of 18 hole erosion tests were conducted under various preconsolidation pressures and erosion directions. The erosion resistances were found to increase with higher prestress

and the variation of critical shear stress across different erosion directions reached 29%. The SEM images reveal a stack-packing microstructure in the consolidated specimens

with a denser clay aggregate packing observed under higher pre-stress conditions. The anisotropic erosion property is properly described by the radial anisotropic coefficient and the roughness anisotropic coefficient 

and the critical shear stress is negatively correlated with   

while its correlation with  is not obvious.