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    Methods For Determining Moisture Content

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    branton
    There are two common laboratory methods to determine the water content of soil: 1. The oven dry method involves weighing a soil sample, drying it in an oven, and reweighing to calculate the mass of water lost. 2. The pycnometer method determines water content using the specific gravity of the soil solids, weighing a soil sample before and after saturating it with water. Both methods require collecting a minimum sample size dependent on particle sizes, then following steps involving weighing the sample in its initial wet state and after drying or saturating to distinguish water from solids masses.

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    Methods For Determining Moisture Content

    Uploaded by

    branton
    71 views7 pages
    There are two common laboratory methods to determine the water content of soil: 1. The oven dry method involves weighing a soil sample, drying it in an oven, and reweighing to calculate the mass of water lost. 2. The pycnometer method determines water content using the specific gravity of the soil solids, weighing a soil sample before and after saturating it with water. Both methods require collecting a minimum sample size dependent on particle sizes, then following steps involving weighing the sample in its initial wet state and after drying or saturating to distinguish water from solids masses.

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    Methods for Determining Moisture Content

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    There are two common laboratory methods to determine the water content of soil: 1. The oven dry method involves weighing a soil sample, drying it in an oven, and reweighing to calculate the mass of water lost. 2. The pycnometer method determines water content using the specific gravity of the soil solids, weighing a soil sample before and after saturating it with water. Both methods require collecting a minimum sample size dependent on particle sizes, then following steps involving weighing the sample in its initial wet state and after drying or saturating to distinguish water from solids masses.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    71 views7 pages

    Methods For Determining Moisture Content

    Uploaded by

    branton
    There are two common laboratory methods to determine the water content of soil: 1. The oven dry method involves weighing a soil sample, drying it in an oven, and reweighing to calculate the mass of water lost. 2. The pycnometer method determines water content using the specific gravity of the soil solids, weighing a soil sample before and after saturating it with water. Both methods require collecting a minimum sample size dependent on particle sizes, then following steps involving weighing the sample in its initial wet state and after drying or saturating to distinguish water from solids masses.

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    of 7

    What is Water Content of Soil?

    The water content of soil is the ratio of mass of water to mass of soil which is expressed
    in percentage. Oven Dry Method and Pycnometer Method are commonly used to
    determine the water content of soil in laboratory.

    1. Water Content of Soil by Oven Dry Method


    The oven dry method is widely used laboratory method determine the water content or
    moisture content of given soil sample. It gives very accurate results.

    Apparatus Required for Oven Dry Method


    To determine water content by oven dry method following equipment is required.

     Hot Air Oven

     Non-corrodible air tight containers ( 3 no’s)

     Digital Weight Machine (accuracy of 0.04% of mass of sample)

     Desiccator

     Tongs
    Minimum Soil Sample Quantity
    The soil sample collected from the field should be of required quantity to find the water
    content. The quantity of soil required is depends upon the maximum particle size and
    gradation of soil sample. Below table shows the soil quantity required for test based on
    the sieve analysis.

    Table 1: Minimum Quantity of Soil Required for Water Content Determination

    Size of particles more than 90% of passing Minimum Quantity ( grams)

    425 micron sieve 25

    2 mm sieve 50
    4.25 mm sieve 200

    10 mm sieve 300

    20 mm sieve 500

    40 mm sieve 1000

    Fig 1: Wet Soil Sample

    Test Procedure of Oven Dry Method


    The test procedure of Oven Dry method to find the moisture content of soil consists
    following steps.

     In first step, clean and dry the containers and weigh them and note down the mass of each
    container (M1). Also note down the number of each container along with its weight.
     Collect the soil sample from field. Remove the top layer of soil and collect the wet soil from
    bottom layers.

     Fill the containers with required quantity of soil sample and weigh the each container and
    note down its mass (M2).
    Fig 2: Placing Containers in Oven

     Place the containers in hot air oven, arrange temperature to 110 o ± 5o C and allow them to dry
    for 24 hours.
     After 24 hours turn off the oven and take out the containers using tongs.

     Cool down the containers in desiccator for one hour.

     After that weigh containers and note down the mass (m 3) of each container.
    Observations and Calculations of Oven Dry Method
    The data collected during the test is noted in below data sheet. From this data the water
    content of given soil sample is calculated by the below shown formula

    Where     M1= Mass of empty container with lid,

    M2= Mass of the container with wet soil and lid,

    M3= Mass of the container with dry soil and lid.

    Table 2: Observations and Calculations of Oven Dry Method


    Determination No.
    Sl. No. Observations and Calculations
    1 2 3

    Observation

    1 Container No.

    2 Mass of empty container (M1)

    3 Mass of container + soil (M2)

    4 Mass of container + dry soil (M3)

    Calculations

    5 Mass of water Mw= M2 – M3

    6 Mass of solids, Ms= M3 – M1

    7 Water content= (5)/(6)x100

    Result of Oven Dry Method


    Water content of the given soil sample = ______%.

    2. Water Content of Soil by Pycnometer Method


    Pycnometer method is also useful to determine water content. But this is used when the
    specific gravity of the given soil sample is already known. However, Specific gravity can
    also be determined using pycnometer.

    Apparatus Required for Pycnometer Method


    Apparatus used in pycnometer method are

     Pycnometer

     Weighing balance with an accuracy of 1.0g

     Glass rod
     Vacuum pump

    Fig 3: Pycnometer Bottle

    Test Procedure of Pycnometer Method


    Test procedure of pycnometer method is as follows

     Wash, clean and dry the pycnometer and note down its mass (M 1) along with brass cap and
    washer using weighing balance with an accuracy of 1.0 g.
     Now place a sample of wet soil about 200 to 400 g in pycnometer and note down its mass
    (M2).
     Then add water to the soil in the pycnometer to make it about half full.

     Stir the soil using glass rod to remove air voids of the soil sample. If available connect the
    vacuum pump to the soil specimen to remove entrapped air.

     Add some more water and after eliminating the entrapped air stop stirring and fix the brass
    cap. More water is added through hole in brass cap until the water is flush with the hole.

     Now take the mass of pycnometer (M 3).


     Now empty and wash the pycnometer. Then fill it with only water and take its mass (M 4).
    Observations and Calculations of Pycnometer Method
    The water content (w) of the soil sample using pycnometer method is calculated from the
    below formula

    Where   M =mass of empty Pycnometer,


    1

    M = mass of the Pycnometer with wet soil


    2

    M = mass of the Pycnometer and soil, filled with water,


    3

    M  = mass of Pycnometer filled with water only.


    4

    G= Specific gravity of solids.

    Table 2: Observations and Calculations of Pycnometer Method

    Determination No.
    Sl.
    Observations and Calculations
    No.
    1 2 3

    Observation

    1 Mass of empty pycnometer (M1)

    2 Mass of pycnometer + wet soil (M2)

    Mass of Pycnometer soil filled with


    3
    water (M3)

    Mass of Pycnometer filled with water


    4
    only (M4)

    Calculations

    5 M2 – M1

    6 M3 – M4

    7 (G – 1) / G
    8 w (using above formula)

    Result of Pycnometer Method


    Water content of the given soil sample = _______%.

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