Soil clods dug from the wall of the soil pit have been placed in hair nets and dipped in liquid Saran to hold them together and to provide a waterproof coating on the clod. They are then hung up to dry. This method is a particularly good one and used by many soil physicists. When a soil is compacted, as under vehicle traffic, or artificially during construction, soil structure is destroyed, partially or totally, depending upon the degree of compaction. Reduction in bulk volume occurs, and usually at the expense of all the macropores and many of the mesopores.
Bulk density is increased and water retention and movement are significantly reduced.
It was mentioned earlier that sandy soils do not compact to a large degree under most conditions. Moisture content at the time of compaction also is a major influence. Revised January 4, 2000.