Field Compaction Devices

The Right Tools for the Job

With few exceptions, the above guide should be adhered to to avoid wasting time and money. Using ill-suited or useless machinery has even been known to set a job back due to damaged caused to existing earthworks and sometimes the machines themselves. 

Take roadbase gravel for example, any violent form of compaction actually has the opposite effect, the gravel moves away from the compaction device, and if applied after some compaction has already been achieved, the violent compaction method will decompact the material quickly.

Water is Essential

Some people believe that compactive effort alone will cause good compaction. This is simply wrong. Water allows the soil particles to better mesh together to remove unwanted air voids. Care should be taken not to over water the material and thus make it uncompactable until it can be dried out or thoroughly mixed with drier, suitable material.

Water also activates plastic particles which bind the material together even when the area in question dries out after compaction has been achieved. See our page on Soil Compaction Basics.

Pure sand can only be compacted by flooding the area and rolling the water out using a flat drum or smooth roller.