The discrepancy between calculated consolidation settlements and measu
red settlements under a 3.8 m high section of an earth embankment is i
nvestigated in this paper. A conventional one-dimensional analysis und
erestimated the observed settlement by 40%. A two-dimensional finite-e
lement analysis was carried out to assess the effects of lateral sprea
ding on vertical movements, and the results were in close agreement wi
th the measured values.