Consolidation analysis of non-homogeneous soil by the weak form quadrature element method

A weak form quadrature element formulation for consolidation analysis of non-homogeneous saturated soil is established based on Biot’s theory. Numerical examples are given, and the results are compared with the analytical solutions available or those from the commercial finite element software ABAQUS, demonstrating accuracy and rapid convergence of quadrature element solutions. The disparity between various treatments of non-homogenous soil is discussed, and the effectiveness and advantages of the quadrature element formulation in consolidation analysis of non-homogeneous soil are demonstrated.