Soils only compress and gain strength based on effective stress , not total stress. If pore water pressure is high, effective stress is low, and the soil is weak.

Overall recommendation

: Analysis of how soils (especially clays) compress over time under load, including Terzaghi’s consolidation theory Shear Strength

Roy Whitlow’s Basic Soil Mechanics remains a staple text because it uses a "teaching" approach rather than just a "reference" approach. It bridges the gap between the mathematical complexity of advanced geomechanics and the practical needs of a site engineer.