The problem of determining the stresses in the ground mass are important for calculating the strength, stability of soils, and also their deformation by external forces and its own weight.

There are three basic mathematical methods of solving the elasticity theory problem: the direct method, inverse method, semi-inverse method of Saint-Venant. The last one is confirmed by experimental data not only for elastic bodies, but also for more complicated variants, which are the grounds.

The validity of this principle is demonstrated through the analysis of structures on elastic foundation. Direct measurements of the compressive stresses under the action of different loads on the soil confirm the results of theoretical solutions.

The article shows that the Saint-Venant principle allows to reproduce the desired stress state through the simplified loadings on the model surface.