Soil Moisture Content & Its Determination
Moisture content is defined as the quantity of water in a mass of soil. It is expressed as the ratio of the weight of water to the weight of solids.
Mathematically, moisture content (M) = (Ww/Ws) x 100
How to Determine the Moisture Content of A Soil Mass in the Laboratory
To determine the moisture content of a soil mass in the laboratory, follow these steps:
Take a sample of soil, weigh it together with the pan. Oven dry it and weigh again so that the water is driven out.
Find W1, W2, Wc, Ws and Ww where:
W1 = weight of soil and container
W2 = weight of dry soil and container
Wc = weight of container
Ws = weight of solid
Ww = weight of moisture/water
The following are useful equations for finding any of the above:
Weight of Solid (Ws) = W2 – Wc
Weight of Water (Ww) = W1 – W2
Therefore: %moisture content (M%) = (Ws/(W2-Wc)) x 100
