Bedding shall be sufficiently dry and hand or mechanically what?

• A. Compacted.
• B. Compaction.
• C. Compactting.
• D. Compacted.

Answer: (D)

Bedding must be described as a finished condition: dry and compacted. The word compacted is a past participle used as an adjective to show that the bedding has been pressed down to a firm, dense state, whether by hand or with equipment. Using a noun like compaction would describe the process, not the resulting condition, and the other form would be mis-spelled or inappropriate. So, the bedding should be sufficiently dry and compacted to provide stable support and prevent movement.