By combining the technologies of particle image velocimetry (PIV) and close-range photogrammetry, a procedure for geotechnical physical modelling using artificial synthetic transparent soil is developed. The soil deformation caused by the shallow foundation settlement (SFS) are measured and recorded non-intrusively. The conventional model test using natural soils is employed for the purpose of comparison. The transparent soil is made of a pore solution, the refractive index of which is matched with the refractive index of fused quartz. Transparent soil model is sliced by using a laser light sheet and digital images of soil deformations caused by SFS are captured. The MATLAB-based software, Geo-PIV, is employed to obtain the generated displacement fields. The results show that the SFS-induced disturbance zone is enlarged in transparent soil, the maximum shear strain expands by about 1.5 times, and the range of surface heaving increases by 30-50% in transparent soil compared with those in natural soil; however, the movement trends of soil elements in transparent soils are generally similar to those in natural soils, indicating that the proposed modelling methodology has applicability to mechanism study to some extent.