Surface Settlement of a Deep Elastic Stratum Whose Modulus Increases Linearly with Depth

Abstract

An examination has been made of the behavior of a half space of elastic material of constant Poisson's ratio, whose Young's modulus increases linearly with depth, and which is subject to a strip or circle of uniform load. Poisson's ratio was considered in the range zero to one-half, and the surface modulus ranged from zero to the value corresponding to a homogeneous material.Numerical values are presented for vertical surface displacement due to a load uniformly distributed over a circular area for Poisson's ratio = 1/2, 1/3 and 0, and for a wide range of inhomogeneity.