Ric,
My thinking on laying the pipe on virgin soil is that it is already solid. Compacting aroudnd the side of the pipe makes perfect sence, than I'll use my backhoe and drive over the fill material on top of the pipe in lifts to compact the trench up to grade.
Avoiding voids under the pipe is also achieved by digging a flat bottom on the trench, or bedding the pipe into the trench with a shovel.
Thanks for clearing that up for me.
Eddie
