Dimensionless characterization of the non-linear soil consolidation problem of Davis and Raymond. Extended models and universal curves

The dimensionless groups that govern the Davis and Raymond non-linear consolidation model, and its extended versions resulting from eliminating several restrictive hypotheses, were deduced. By means of the governing equations nondimensionalization technique and introducing the characteristic time concept, both in terms of settlement and pressures, was obtained (for the most general model) that the average degree of settlement only depends on the dimensionless time while the average degree of pressure dissipation does it, additionally, on the loading ratio. These results allowed the construction of universal curves expressing the solutions of the unknowns of interest in a direct and simple way.