GEOT 210B

LABORATORY REPORT ASSIGNMENT SUBMITTED ON 1ST APRIL, 2011 LECTURER: MR: RUSSEL RAMRATTAN

NAME:

Nicole Harripersad

LAB NO:

TITLE:

Moisture Content

AIM:

To determine the moisture content of a given sample of soil using data that was read off and recorded from the experiment.

OBJECTIVES:

The moisture content analysis is used to determine the amount and percentage of moisture in soils. The water content is the ratio of the mass of water in a given mass of soil to the mass of the dry soil solids. The water content of soils is also responsible for in ascertaining soil properties and behaviour. It is significant in stating the phase relationships of air, water, and solids in a given volume of soil.

APPARATUS AND MATERIALS:

1) 5 containers (cans 'A','B', 'C', 'D' &'E') 2) Balance 3) electric oven 4) electric oven 5) Desiccators.

GEOT 210B
LABORATORY REPORT ASSIGNMENT SUBMITTED ON 1ST APRIL, 2011 LECTURER: MR: RUSSEL RAMRATTAN

PROCEDURE:

1. The five (5) containers were labelled the using letters A-E in sequence 2. Weight of can 'A' and it was measured and recorded as W1(g). 3. The soil was added to the can and its weight was measured 4. The measured weight was then recorded as W2 (g). 5. The electric oven was then set at110C and the cans were then placed in the oven for 24 hours. 6. The cans were then taken out from the oven and put it in desiccators for a few minutes to be allowed to cool. 7. The new weight of the cans were then measures and recorded as W3(g). 8. These steps were then repeated for each of the sample containers.

RESULTS:

Sample Units W1 W2 W3 MS MW Water content %

A grams 28.5 83.2 72.9 44.4 10.3 23.20

B grams 29.1 85.1 74.6 45.5 10.5 23.08

C grams 27.9 86.2 75.1 47.2 11.1 23.52

D grams 28.7 84.9 74.1 45.4 10.8 23.79

E grams 29.3 84.0 73.6 44.3 10.4 23.48

GEOT 210B
LABORATORY REPORT ASSIGNMENT SUBMITTED ON 1ST APRIL, 2011 LECTURER: MR: RUSSEL RAMRATTAN

CALCULATING RESULTS:

1) Mass of Soil MS = W3 - W1 2) Mass of Pore Water MW = W2-W3 3) Water content (%). W (%) = (MW / MS) x 100

INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS
Samples C and A had the highest and lowest weights for W2 and W3 where W2 was the weight of the wet soil and Petri dish and W3 was the weight of the dry soil and Petri dish. When both the mass of the soil solids and the mass of the pore water were calculated, Sample C gave the highest weight. The Petri dish that was used for this sample was also the lightest. Sample 'A' was the lowest recorded weight for W2 and W3and this sample had the least weight for the mass of pore water.

CONCLUSION

The average moisture content of all e five samples gave a calculated value of 23.414% which is the natural moisture content of the soil sample that was given. The calculated differences among the samples were 0.710% from the highest to the lowest. From the calculations Sample D was shown to have the highest moisture content at a value of 23.79% and sample B had the lowest moisture content at a value of 23.08%.