HASHEMITE UNIVERSITY Faculty of Engineering Civil Engineering Department

Dr. Faisal Shalabi

Eng. Hussein
AHMED HANI SALEM AL-OMARI Civil Engineering 431900

Ahmed Hani Salem Al-Omari ID # 431900

Civil Engineering Objective:
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The objective of this experiment is to calculate the percentage of water in some specific amount of soil in term of its dry mass. We do this experiment because we know then the moisture content and from that we do our work or construction based on the water content because this property is so important.

General Discussion:
We can define the water content as the ratio of the mass of water present to the total mass (water + soil).
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Experience indicates that this method of sample drying is sufficient for the small samples (10 to 200 g) used in routine laboratory work. It is usual adequate for much larger samples, 1000 g or more, but large samples be stirred occasionally so uniform drying is obtained. It is usual to remove the water content samples from the oven and weigh them immediately (we use heat-resistant gloves because they are hot). The oven temperature of 1100 C is too hot for certain organic soils, soils containing appreciable amounts of gypsum or some other minerals, certain clays, and some tropical soils.
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Equipments:
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Moisture tin cups. Oven with accurate temperature control at 110 5 c. Balance, sensitive to 0.01g.

Procedures:
We get a clean can and weight it as an empty one and get the reading. We put a representative sample of wet soil in the cup and determine the mass of wet soil + can. Note: if the mass is determined immediately, it is usually not necessary to place the lid on the cup. But if there is a delay of 1 to 5 min or more, put the lid on the can so soil does not dry and place the cup under a damp paper towel to maintain the humidity in its vicinity.

Ahmed Hani Salem Al-Omari ID # 431900

Civil Engineering
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- After weighing the wet sample + can, remove the lid- it is usual practice to place it

under the bottom of the can- and place the sample in the oven.
- After drying the sample to a constant mass and after two days we get the reading

of the weight of dry soil + can.

Calculations:
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Sample of calculations: = = g g / % ) * 100 %

Wt. water (WW) = Wt. dry soil (WS) =

Moisture content (percent) (W %) = ( =

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Data sheets:

SOIL MOISTURE CONTENT DETERMINATION Can Number 1) Soil type 2) Wt. of can ( can weight) (g) 3) Wt. - wet soil + can - (g) 4) Wt. - dry soil + can - (g) 5) Wt. water - ( line 3 - line 4) WW (g) 6) Wt. - dry soil - ( line 4 -line 2) WS (g) 7) Moisture content (line 5 line 6) W (%) 2A sand 30 77.55 G2 clay 30.7 84.94

Ahmed Hani Salem Al-Omari ID # 431900

Civil Engineering
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Discussion & Conclusions:

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Discuss results:

- From this test we see that the water content of Clay is bigger than the sand one : Clay = % Sand = % And that because the bond (or cohesive ) between the particle of two of them and the size of these particle. - The voids maybe occupied by either air or water or mixed the water molecules in the void make the water content and its different from soil to another. So its depend on type of soil.
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Errors:

After drying the soil in oven, if the mass appears to be in error, first reweigh the can + dry soil, and, if the new value appears satisfactory, continue. If it is not, next check if you are using the same moisture and/or if they are in adjustment: also be sure the lid is included if a metal moisture can is being used. If these items all check and there is too much mass, you will have to discard this sample because it is impossible for a "dry" sample to have a greater mass than a "wet" one (an earlier weighing error has been made). There may still be a weighing error, but at this point you have no means to identify it. There is an error in the value of the soil weight, results from unadjusted balance, and error in the period of time the sample was had in the oven to dry.
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Improvement:

When we heat some soils it might be changed in its characteristics. ASTM suggests an oven temperature of 600 C for drying these soils. SAFETY: this test may be hazardous if the soil being dried contains certain chemicals. For us as a student laboratories reliable soil sources should be used to avoid creating a hazardous environment Moisture content is one of the most important quantities in soil mechanics, because it's easy to be evaluated in a lap, and the whole foundations of buildings depend on it.

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