Theory
The water content may be
defined as the ratio of the weight of water to dry weight of water to the dry
weight of the solid as called water content.
W =
Ww/Ws X 100
It is also expressed as the quantity
of free water in a soil is necessary to controlling the compaction operation in
the determining the consistency limit for calculating the stability in all
kinds of earthwork and foundation.
Application
It is the fundamental parameter
which affects the soil properties like degree saturation, density, shear
strength consistency, compaction and consolidation. Water content is the most
frequently determined characteristics. In almost all soil test determination of
water content of a soil is the most useful properties.
Item required
1. Soil
sample
2. Balance
3. Container
4. Oven
desiccator
Diagram
OVEN MACHINE
Procedure
1. Clean
the container and its mass was found with lid. (m1)
2. The
required quantity of moist sample was taken in the container replaced the lid
(m2)
3. The
container was kept in the oven with lid. The temperature was maintain in
between 1050 c to 1100 c for about 24hrs.
4. After
24hrs the container is taken out it closed with lid and cool it preferably in a
desiccator.
5. Weighted
the container with dried soil sample and record the final mass (m3)
in gm.
6. The
step 1 to 5 repeated for two more soil specimen for the sample.
7. Average
of the should be reported as a water content of the soil.
Precaution
1. Always
weight the container with lid.
2. The
soil specimen should be recorded after the test and should not be used in any
other test.
3. Immediately
after removing the container from the oven close the lid.
4. Weight
the container after cooling.
5. Keeping
the container inside the indicator while cooling especially during rainy
season.
OBS.
NO.
|
PARTICULARS
|
DETERMINATION NO.
|
|
1ST READING
|
2ND READING
|
||
01
|
Container no.
|
A
|
B
|
02
|
Mass of container m1
in gm
|
23 gms
|
23 gms
|
03
|
Mass of container with wet
soil specimen m2 in gm
|
66 gms
|
37.3 gms
|
04
|
Mass of container with dry
soil specimen m3 in gm
|
58 gms
|
34.8 gms
|
05
|
Mass of dry soil (m3
– m1) gm
|
8 gms
|
2.8 gms
|
06
|
Mass of moisture (m2
– m3) gm
|
35 gms
|
11.5 gms
|
07
|
Water content = m1
– m3 / m3 – m1 X
100
|
22.86 %
|
24.35 %
|
08
|
Average water content = w %
|
22.86 + 24.35 / 2
= 23.605 %
|
|
RESULT
The water content of the soil
sample is found to be = 23.605 %
