A vacuum compaction device for compacting a charge of composite material on a supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface includes an edge that extends between a first charge-supporting surface of the supporting surface and a second charge-supporting surface of the supporting surface, and further wherein the vacuum compaction device is configured to be operatively positioned on the supporting surface (200 and to extend across the first charge-supporting surface, the second charge-supporting surface, and the edge to define an enclosed volume between the vacuum compaction device and the supporting surface, the vacuum compaction device comprising: a compaction force transfer structure, including: (i) a first barrier structure that includes a first charge-facing side and a first charge-opposed side; (ii) a second barrier structure that includes a second charge-facing side and a second charge-opposed side; and (iii) a junction support extending at least partially between the first barrier structure and the second barrier structure, wherein the junction support is configured to maintain the first barrier structure and the second barrier structure at an angle with respect to one another and to permit limited angular motion of the first barrier structure and the second barrier structure relative to one another; wherein the vacuum compaction device is extendable across an edge of the supporting surface, such that the first barrier structure is extendable across the first charge-supporting surface, such that the second barrier structure is extendable across the second charge-supporting surface, and also such that the junction support is extendable along the edge; a sealing structure projecting from an external periphery of the compaction force transfer structure and configured to define at least a portion of a periphery of the enclosed volume when the vacuum compaction device is operatively positioned on the supporting surface; and a vacuum distribution manifold in fluid communication with and configured to selectively apply a vacuum to the enclosed volume. a compaction force transfer structure, including: (i) a first barrier structure that includes a first charge-facing side and a first charge-opposed side; (ii) a second barrier structure that includes a second charge-facing side and a second charge-opposed side; and (iii) a junction support extending at least partially between the first barrier structure and the second barrier structure, wherein the junction support is configured to maintain the first barrier structure and the second barrier structure at an angle with respect to one another and to permit limited angular motion of the first barrier structure and the second barrier structure relative to one another; wherein the vacuum compaction device is extendable across an edge of the supporting surface, such that the first barrier structure is extendable across the first charge-supporting surface, such that the second barrier structure is extendable across the second charge-supporting surface, and also such that the junction support is extendable along the edge; (i) a first barrier structure that includes a first charge-facing side and a first charge-opposed side; (ii) a second barrier structure that includes a second charge-facing side and a second charge-opposed side; and (iii) a junction support extending at least partially between the first barrier structure and the second barrier structure, wherein the junction support is configured to maintain the first barrier structure and the second barrier structure at an angle with respect to one another and to permit limited angular motion of the first barrier structure and the second barrier structure relative to one another; a sealing structure projecting from an external periphery of the compaction force transfer structure and configured to define at least a portion of a periphery of the enclosed volume when the vacuum compaction device is operatively positioned on the supporting surface; and a vacuum distribution manifold in fluid communication with and configured to selectively apply a vacuum to the enclosed volume.