The papers of the session discussed here deal primarily with the traditional role of consolidation theory in soil mechanics, that of controlling and predicting the volume change of fine-grained soils. Reclamation of soft ground, performance of soil-drain systems, behavior of man-made fill materials and industrial wastes, and problems in characterization of behavior of special soil types are addressed. With one exception, behavior as determined by laboratory-scale investigations is emphasized. This report is organized into three major themes: Compression Behavior, Performance of Drains, and Special Problems. The report concludes with a selection of topics for general discussion.