Soil Compactor

What is compaction? Soil compaction occurs when soil particles are pressed together, reducing pore space between them (Figure 1). Heavily compacted soils contain few large pores, less total pore volume and, consequently, a greater density. A compacted soil has a reduced rate of both water infiltration and drainage. A compactor is a machine or mechanism used to reduce the size of material such as waste material or bio mass through compaction. A trash compactor is often used by a home or business to reduce the volume of trash it produces. Rammers are used in confined areas on cohesive/clay soils, plate compactors are used in confined areas, usually to compact sand and gravel-type soils, and trench compactors are used on cohesive soils in trenches or larger areas and adjacent to structures.