Concept: The ratio of compressive strength of material saturated with water to that in dry state is called the coefficient of softening. The glass and metal are not affected by the presence of water and hence, their coefficient of softening is unity. Compaction factor is the ratio of the weight of material when compacted fully to uncompacted state. It is always less than 1. Load factor is the ratio of design load to working load. It is always greater than or equal to one provided that there is stability against overturning. Coefficient of hardness = 20 - Loss of mass (grams)/3