IntroductionMany theories of consolidation for soils have been proposed in the past, but most of them have ignored the structural characteristics of clay, yet the natural layered soils are widely distributed around the world.MethodsA theoretical model is established to analyze the one-dimensional consolidation behavior of layered soils, in which a time-dependent drainage boundary and the structural characteristics of the soil are taken into account. Using the integral transform and characteristic function methods, the analytical solution is derived, the effectiveness of which is evaluated against the degradation of solutions and the numerical results calculated using the finite element method.Results and discussionFinally, the influences of interface parameter, soil permeability coefficient and soil compressibility on consolidation behaviors are discussed. Results show that in structured soils, early dissipation of excess pore water pressure and consolidation rates are predominantly influenced by interface parameters, permeability, and volume compression coefficients. Higher values of these parameters accelerate early stages of consolidation, which is especially evident in the upper soil layers. Over time, the distinct effects of interface and permeability coefficients on consolidation diminish. Higher volume compression coefficients, while initially beneficial, eventually slow down the consolidation process, indicating an interaction with the ongoing soil structural changes.