PRACTICAL NO.

1 DETERMINATION OF THE WATER

CONTENT OF A SOIL BY OVEN DRYING
APPARATUS:

1. a balance,
2. an air-tight container
3. a scoop
4. an oven capable of maintaining a temperature of 105° ± 5°C

PROCEDURE:

1. The container and lid must be clean and dry and then weighed (m 1).
The sample is then placed in the container and the lid replaced and the whole
weighed again (m2).

2. The lid is removed and the container and sample placed in the oven
and dried at a temperature of 105° ± 5° C for a period of 16 - 24 hours.

3. The container and sample are then removed from the oven, the lid
replaced and the whole allowed to cool for 1/2 to 1 hour. It is then reweighed
(m3). Two samples are tested to determine the average moisture content for
the soil.

RESULTS:

SAMPLE NO. 1 2
Container no.
Mass of container (m1)
Mass of container + wet soil (m2)
Mass of container + dry soil (m3)
Mass of moisture (m2 – m3)
Mass of dry soil (m3 – m1)
Moisture content (%)

CALCULATIONS:

The moisture content is the ratio of the mass of water to the mass of dry soil;
w = mass of water
mass of dry soil

m2  m3
w x100%
m3  m1

Calculate the average moisture content for the two samples and the
result must be reported clearly as the average moisture content of the
soil.