CE478 MEASUREMENT OF SOIL

PROPERTIES
Laboratory Determination of Water (Moisture) Content of Soil by Mass

DUE TO
19.02.2019

VEYSEL ÖMEROĞLU

130408005

IZMIR KATIP CELEBI UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

OBJECTIVE
To determine moisture content of given a sample of soil using data that was read off and recorded
from the experiment.
Sample has taken from 12-13.5m 4th borehole.

EQUIPMENTS

Moisture Cans -for carrying samples

The Oven -for drying samples
The Scale Balance- for weighing the samples

PROCEDURE

1. Determine and record the mass (in grams) of the empty moisture can plus its cap (W1).
2. Place a sample of representative moist soil in the can. Place the cap on the can in order to prevent
loss of moisture.

3. Determine the combined mass of the closed can and moist soil (W2).

4. Remove the cap from the top and place it on the bottom of the can.

5. Place the open can, with its lid, into the oven in order to dry the soil to a constant weight. In most
cases, this should take no more than 24 hours.

6. Determine the combined mass of dry soil sample plus the can and its cap (W3)

7. Perform these steps for a total of three samples.

CALCULATION

1. Calculate the mass of moisture = W2 – W3

2. Calculate the mass of dry soil = W3 – W1

3. Calculate the water content

w (%) = [(W2 – W3) * 100] / (W3—W1)

Report the water content to the nearest 1% or 0.1% as appropriate, based on the size of the specimen.

RESULT and TABLE

DISCUSSION

Most natural soils, which are sandy and gravelly in nature, may have water content of about 15-20%.
For fine-grained soils, water contents up to about 50-80% can be found. However, peat and highly
organic soils with water contents up to about 500% are not uncommon.

CONCLUSION

The average moisture content value of 16.17% which isthe natural moisture content of the soil
sample that was given. The calculated differences among the samples were 17.56% from the
highest to the lowest. From the calculations was shown to have the highest moisture content at a
value of 17.56% and sample B had the lowestmoisture content at a value of 14.77%

REFERENCES
https://tr.scribd.com/doc/59681738/Geotechnics-Moisture-Content-Lab-Report
https://www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/publications/geo_reports/doc/er221/er221links.pdf