Natural Moisture Content of Soil, Water Content in Soil

What is Natural Moisture Content of Soil? What is Water Content in Soil?

Water content of soil also called the natural moisture content of soil is the ratio of mass of water to mass of soil which is expressed in percentage.

i.e. Soils normally contain a finite amount of water, which can be expressed in percentage and it is termed as the “natural moisture content of soil or water content of soil”.

In almost all soil tests natural moisture content or water content of the soil is to be determined.

Determination of Natural Moisture Content in Soil or Water Content of Soil, lS: 2720 (Part 2): 1973

Hi friend, here I have explained about determination of the Natural Moisture Content or Water Content in Soil.

After reading this you will be able to determine the Natural Moisture Content or Water Content in Soil.

Scope: To determine water content or the natural moisture content of soil of soil sample.

IS Code For Determination of Water Content in Soil Sample:-

• IS: 2720 (Part 2): 1973

Apparatus Required For The Water Content Test of Soil:-

• Non-corrodible air-tight Container.
• Electronic weighing balance with accuracy of 0.01 g.
• Oven - to maintain the temperature at 105ºC to 115ºC.
• Desiccator

Procedure of The Water Content Test of Soil:-

1. Clean the container with lid, dry and weigh (W1).
2. Take the required quantity of the soil specimen in the container crumbled and placed loosely, and weigh with lid (W₂).
3. Then keep it in an oven with the lid removed, and maintain the temperature of the oven at 105ºC to 115ºC.
4. Dry the specimen in the oven for 24 hours.
5. Take the container out of the oven and replace the lid on the container and cool it in a desiccators.
6. Record the final mass (W₃) of the container with lid and dried soil sample.

Observations And Recording:-

Table: Data and observation sheet for water content or natural moisture content determination

Sl. No.	Sample No.	1	2	3
1	Weight of the container with lid, W1 g
2	Weight of the container with lid +wet soil, W2 g
3	Weight of container with lid +dry soil W3 g
4	Water or Moisture content, W = [(W2-W3)/(W3-W1)]×100%

Calculation:-

Formula for water content or natural moisture content test of soil

Where,

W1 = Weight of container with lid ln g,

W₂ = Weight of container with lid with wet soil in g and

W₃ = Weight of container with lid with dry soil in g.

Report:-

The water content or natural moisture content in the soil will be reported to two significant figures. The results of the test will be suitably recorded.