HOLY TRINITY UNIVERSITY

Puerto Princesa City

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
Second Year – Block B
SY 2023 – 2024

LABORATORY 2
Moisture Content Determination by Oven
Drying Method
Group 3
Soil Mechanic LABORATOY MANUAL

Chapter-1 MOISTURE CONTENT

Moisture Content Determination by Oven

Drying Method
Objective
To determine the amount of water or moisture present in the given quantity of soil in terms of its dry
weight.

Need and Scope of the Experiment

In almost all soil tests natural moisture content of the soil is to be determined. The knowledge of the
moisture content is essential in all studies of soil mechanics. To sight a few, natural moisture content is
used in determining the bearing capacity and settlement. The natural moisture content will give an idea
of the state of soil in the field.

Theory
Water content or moisture content determination is a routine laboratory test, the results of which are
used in evaluation of different important engineering properties of soil. The determination of moisture
content involves removing soil moisture by oven-drying a soil sample until the weight remains constant.
The moisture content is expressed in percentage and is calculated from the sample weight before and
after drying.

Mathematically it can be written as;

Ww
_____
ω= Ws
X 100

Ww = Weight of soil water

Ws = Weight of soil solids

Apparatus
1. 3 Moisture tins
2. 1 Weighing balance (Least count of 0.01 g)
3. 1 Drying oven (Temperature control at 150 0C)

Procedure
1. Dig up soil from at least 1m deep to get wet soil samples for T1, T2 and T3.. Fig 1.1.
2. Take an empty clean moisture tin and mark it with an identifying number T1, T2 and T3. Fig 1.2.
3. Weigh the container and record the weight as T1, T2 and T3 to the nearest 0.01 g. Fig 1.3.
 Soil Mechanic LABORATOY MANUAL

4. Take a representative wet soil sample T1=30g, T2=40g and T3=50g and place it quickly in the
moisture tins Fig 1.4.
5. Weigh the moisture tin with wet soil sample to the nearest 0.01 g and record this weight
as W2 (Tin + Soil) , T1=45g, T2=55g and T3=65g. Fig 1.5.
6. Place the moisture tin with the wet soil sample in the drying oven, at constant temperature of
1500 C for 2 hours. Fig 1.6.
7. After 2 hours remove the moisture tin from the drying oven and weigh it to the nearest 0.01 g.
Record this weight as W3 (Tin + Soil-Dry) , T1, T2 and T3. Fig 1.7.

Documentation

Fig 1.1: Dig up sample wet soil for (T1, T2 , T3 )

As we dig up a soil sample for T1, T2, and T3, we grab a sturdy shovel to penetrate the ground easily.
We make sure that it has a sharp edge to cut through any roots or tough soil. At 0.37m depth, we
obtained a saturated soil or soil sample with moisture. This is also due to the fact that the chosen
location is damp.
 Soil Mechanic LABORATOY MANUAL

Fig 1.2: Moisture tins with label (T1, T2 , T3 ) Fig 1.3: Weight of Moisture tins (T1, T2 , T3 )
After obtaining the soil samples, we used 3 different We weighed the 3 moisture tins after labeling
moisture tins and labeled them as T1, T2, and T3. them, and each weight was recorded as
In order to differentiate the 3 soil samples. T1=15g , T2=15g , T3=15g.

Fig 1.4: Weigh the wet soil sample per moisture tins
Next, we took 3 different wet soils samples and weighed them.
The weight of each wet sample soils are recorded as T1=30g , T2=40g , T3=50g.
These wet soil samples are then placed inside the moisture tins.
 Soil Mechanic LABORATOY MANUAL

Fig 1.5: Weigh the moisture tins with wet soil
as W2 (Tin + Soil)
Now that the wet soils samples are placed inside its
respective tins, we weighed each and labeled them
as W2 (Tin + Soil). The data recorded as
T1=45g , T2=55g , T3=65g.
Fig 1.6: Drying oven for 2 hours
The 3 moisture tins with wet soil samples
were then left inside an oven to dry for
2 hours at the temperature control of 150 °C.

Fig 1.7: Weight of moisture tins after 2 hours of drying oven

as W3 (Tin + Soil-Dry)
After 2 hours of drying the 3 moisture tin samples of wet soil in the oven,
we weighed each tin and recorded as W3 (Tin + Soil-Dry)
The data was recorded as T1=35g , T2=40g , T3=45g
Soil Mechanic LABORATOY MANUAL

Precautions
1. If it is not possible to place the container carrying wet soil sample in drying oven immediately,
cover the container with led
2. If it is suspected that gypsum is present in the soil, the soil sample should not be subjected to a
temperature beyond 600C. Otherwise gypsum will lose its water of crystallization affecting
thereby the results of moisture content. Oven drying at 60 0C may, however, be continued for a
longer time in order to ensure complete evaporation of free water present in the sample.

Observations and Calculations

ω= Ww
_____
X 100 = W2 - W3
________
X 100
Ws W3 – W1
 Soil Mechanic LABORATOY MANUAL

Where;

W1 = Weight of tin = 45 (g)

W2 = Weight of moist soil + = 165 (g)

tin
W3 = Weight of dried soil + = 115 (g)
tin
Can No. 1 2 3

Wt. of wet soil + can (g) W2 45g 55g 65g

Wt. of dry soil + can (g) W3 35g 40g 45g

Wt. of can (g) W1 15g 15g 15g

Wt. of dry soil (g) 20g 25g 30g

Wt. of moisture (g) 10g 15g 20g

Water content (%) 50% 60% 66.67%

Depth (m) 0.37m 0.37m 0.37m

Average Moisture Content, ω = 58.89%

INSTRUCTOR: Engr. Jeremiah Cañete

GROUP LEADER: Lovely Poliran

MEMBERS: Julie Hope Sadang
Lavence Mae Julao
Irish Madriaga Desisto
 Soil Mechanic LABORATOY MANUAL

Shani Belle Castres Waniwan

Ellie Cordova
Alfaizar Usman
Via Sarucam

SOLUTION:

ω=
Ww
_____
Ws
x 100 = W2 – W3
_________
W3 – W1
x 100

Wt. of dry soil (g) (Ws = W3 – W1)

T1 = 35 – 15 = 20
T2 = 40 – 15 = 25
T3 = 45 – 15 = 30

Wt. of moisture (g) (Ww = W2 – W3)

T1 = 45 – 35 = 10
T2 = 55 – 40 = 15
T3 = 65 – 45 = 20

W2 – W3
Water Content (%)
=
________
W3 – W1
x100

45 – 35
T1 =
________
35 – 15
x 100 T2 =
________
55 – 40
40 – 15
x 100 T3 =
65 – 45
________
45 – 15 x 100
= 50% = 60% = 66.67%

Average Moisture Content

50% + 60% + 66.67% = 176.67%