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What Is Compaction? Understanding Density, Rollers and Why It Matters

Name: What Is Compaction? Understanding Density, Rollers and Why It Matters
Uploaded: 2026-03-19T04:36:02+00:00

19 Mar 2026 • Dennis Howard

Compaction plays a critical role in road performance. To get it right, it’s important to understand the basics of compaction. In this episode of The Track, Dennis Howard and Cody Wagner break down the full paving process, covering everything from material prep and roller selection to pass counts, temperature control and intelligent compaction for density verification.

Talk with your local RDO Equipment Co. team to learn more about HAMM compaction solutions, intelligent technology and support options for your next project.

Dennis Howard

Dennis Howard has spent more than two decades with RDO Equipment Co.’s construction equipment division. As a Senior Vice President of Roadbuilding and Minerals, he leads RDO's WIRTGEN GROUP business throughout RDO's footprint. He’s a member of the Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP), a regular contributor to ForConstructionPros.com, and host of The Track – Construction Equipment from RDO web series. Subscribe to The Track on YouTube, or connect with Dennis personally on LinkedIn.

What Is Compaction? Understanding Density, Rollers and Why It Matters

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