Bending consolidation of an infinite beam of finite width resting on a saturated poroelastic halfspace

The time-dependent flexural behavior of an infinite beam of finite width resting on the surface of a saturated poroelastic halfspace is examined. The vertical contact stress is assumed to be uniformly distributed across the beam section. The displacement continuity is achieved by equaling the beam deflection to the average displacement of the halfspace surface under the beam width. The drainage condition at the surface of the poroelastic halfspace is considered as either completely drained or completely undrained. The problem is analytically solved using the Fourier and Laplace transformations. The developed solutions are verified via comparisons with the existing analytical solutions and computational results by finite element code ABAQUSTM. The numerical results indicate that the beam bending rigidity, the drained and undrained Poisson’s ratios and the drainage boundary conditions at the halfspace surface have important influences on the flexural responses of the beam.