A soil test is the onlSoils are the base material for roads, homes, buildings, and other structures set upon them, but the physical properties of different soil types are greatly variable. The properties of concern in engineering and construction applications include: bearing strength, compressibility, consistency, shear strength, and shrink-swell potential. These engineering variables are influenced by the most basic soil physical properties such as texture, structure, clay mineral type, and water content. Landscaping applications range in scale from bridge and roadway construction around highway interchanges to courtyards and greenspaces around commercial sites to the grading and lawns of residential housing developments. In all these instances, both the physical and ecological functions of soils must be considered.