A building is to be constructed on a stratum of the clay 7 m thick for which consolidation data are given in Problem 8.8. The average existing effective overburden pressure on this clay stratum is 126 kPa. The average applied pressure on the clay after construction of the building is 285 kPa.
(a) Estimate the decrease in thickness of the clay stratum caused by full consolidation under the building load. Estimate the decrease in thickness due to the building load if the clay had never been pre-consolidated under a load greater than the existing overburden.
(b) Show on the e versus log σ plot of Problem 8.8 the values of Δe used.?