Without proper soil compaction, many concrete
structures are doomed to perform poorly. Cracked
pavements or floors, leaking concrete basements,
and settled foundations are just a few of the problems
caused by inadequate soil compaction. The
goal of compaction is straightforward — pack as
many soil solids as possible into a given space.
Increasing the concentration of solids makes the soil
stronger, less permeable, and less likely to settle
excessively. Achieving those goals requires an
understanding of three interrelated factors that
affect the degree to which a soil can be compacted:
soil type, soil moisture content during compaction,
and the kind of compaction equipment used. It also
requires an ability to measure the results, so