  The exact solution of Terzaghi's consolidation equation has further
highlighted the limits of this theory in the one-dimensional field as, like
Taylor's approximate solution, it overestimates the decay times of the
phenomenon; on the other hand, one only needs to think about the accumulation
pattern of sedimentary-basin soils to understand how their internal structure
fits in more with the model of transversely isotropic medium, so as to result
in the development of two- and three-dimensional consolidation models. This is
the reason why, using Terzaghi's theory and his exact solution as starting
point, two-dimensional and three-dimensional consolidation equations have been
proposed, in an attempt to find their corresponding exact solutions which
constitute more reliable forecasting models. Lastly, results show how this
phenomenon is predominantly influenced by the dimensions of the horizontal
plane affected by soil consolidation and permeabilities that behave according
to three coordinate axes.
