ABSTRACT
Settlement is the most common reason for failure of foundations and it is therefore of great importance to understand the mechanics of settlement. The elastic deformation of the ground when loaded will occur immediately the load is applied, and can therefore be relatively easily corrected. The long-term consolidation of clay soils, however, may take many years to complete, with consequent damage to the structure appearing long after completion of the contract. In coarse-grained soils consolidation occurs rapidly and is therefore a different problem. There may also be further settlement when consolidation nears completion due to "creep" in the soil mass, this is known as secondary settlement.
