ABSTRACT
Hankel transforms are more suitable as the problems are defined in terms of polar coordinate variables. For time-dependent problems, a Laplace transform has to be carried out in the time domain. The effect of surface loads on layered soils was reported by Gerrard and his associates using Laplace and Hankel transforms. Booker then formulated the problem of consolidation for a single layer of homogeneous isotropic clay by applying a Fourier transform followed by a Laplace transform. The flexibility relation for the whole layered system can be formed by incorporating the continuity conditions for displacements and stresses along the layer interfaces. Functionals of the transformed variables based on a variational approach are established and the solution process can then follow the standard finite strip method. Inverse transforms of the transformed variables will lead to the final solutions.
