Geo-Technical Engineering (9047)

Experiment No. 1

EXPERIMENT No. 1
1.0 2.0 Title :
To determine water contents of given soil sample by Oven Drying method.

Prior Concepts:
Soil as three-Phase System: A soil mass is a Three phase system consisting of solid particles, water and air. The void space between the soil grains is filled partly with water and partly by air. In dry soil mass, the voids are filled with air only. In case of perfectly saturated soil, the voids are filled completely with water. Total weight of moist sample, W = Wd + Ww [Ref. I.S. 2809-1972]

Wd = Weight of solids Ww = Weight of water. As weight of air is considered to be negligible hence weight of total voids is equal to weight of water.

Water content

Mass of Water (mw)

Mass of Solid Particles (ms)

Void ratio, Porosity and degree of saturation

Mineralogical composition

3.0

New Concepts :
Proposition 1: Water content (Moisture content) : It is the ratio expressed as percentage of weight of water in given soil mass to the weight of solid particles.

MAHARASHTRA STATE BOARD OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Geo-Technical Engineering (9047)

Experiment No. 1

4.0

Learning Objectives:
Intellectual Skills: 1. To understand concept of percentage of water content in a soil mass. Motor Skills: 1.Ability to handle the equipments. 2.Ability to take the soil sample of specific grading. 3.Ability to measure weight of dry and wet sample and tabulate the observations.. 4.Ability to find water contents.

5.0

Apparatus :
1.Non-corrodible airtight container. 2.Electronic balance of accuracy 0.01 gm. 3.Thermostatically controlled oven (110o 5 o C). 4.Desiccators. Materials: 1.Wet soil samples of different grades. 2.Tap water. 3.Cotton waste. Note: 1. For complete vaporization it is essential to heat the water in soil just above the boiling point of water (110o 5 o C). 2. Time required to complete vaporization is 24 Hrs. 3. While heating the lid of container should be removed, for allowing the vapour to go away. 4. After heating, cooling should be carried out in desiccators only.

MAHARASHTRA STATE BOARD OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Geo-Technical Engineering (9047)

Experiment No. 1

5. Soil specification: The soil specimen taken shall be represented soil mass. The size of soil specimen selected depends on quality for good representation, which depends on gradation and maximum size of particles and on accuracy of weighing balance. The following quantities are recommended:

Size of particles, More than 90% Minimum quantity of Soil specimen passing to be taken for testing (gm) 425 2.00 mm 4.75 mm 9.50 mm 19.00 mm 37.50 mm 6.0 Stepwise Procedure:
1. Clean the container with lid, dry it and find mass with lid (m1). 2. Put the required quantity of moist soil sample from soil specimen. It is Crumbled and placed loosely and find its mass with lid (m2). 3. Keep the container in an oven with lid removed and maintain the temperature of the oven between 105o C to 110o C for about 24Hrs. 4. Remove the container from oven, replace its lid and cool the container in desiccators. 5. Find the mass of container with dry soil sample and lid (m3). 6. Repeat the above steps for more than 2 container for same soil specimen and report the water contents as the average of three test results.

25 gm 50 gm 200 gm 300 gm 500 gm 1000 gm

MAHARASHTRA STATE BOARD OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Geo-Technical Engineering (9047)

Experiment No. 1

7.0

Observations : Table for calculation of water content

Sr. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mass of empty container with lid (m1) gm Mass of container with moist soil + lid (m2) gm Mass of container with dry soil + lid (m3) gm Mass of water (m2 - m3) = mw gm Mass of solids (m3 - m1) = ms gm Water content = (Mw / Ms) x 100 % Description Container number 1 2 3

8.0

Result :
Average water content of given soil sample is - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - %

9.0

Conclusion :
1. The water content of the given soil sample is ., so given soil sample is .(partially / fully saturated). 2. Students to write conclusion on the basis of result (under the guidance of Teacher) .. ..

10.0

Questions :
Write answers to Q Q Q Q Teacher shall allot the questions. 1. State various methods of determining water content (both in the laboratory and in the field). 2. If soil is heated to a temperature of 950C, What will be its effect on water content? 3. Why the water content is calculated with reference to weight of soil solids? 4. How to calculate the water content of soil within half an hour? 5. State the factors affecting drying time of soil. 6. Is it necessary that water content be equal to 100% for a fully saturated soil specimen? 7. Why is it necessary to determine water content of soil sample? 8. If soil is oven dried for i) 35 hrs and ii) 18 hrs, what will be its effect on water content? 9. Define weight of dry soil. 10.Can water content be more than 100%? 11.What will happen if container is not cooled in the desiccators? The teacher shall write two more questions 12 13

MAHARASHTRA STATE BOARD OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Geo-Technical Engineering (9047)

Experiment No. 1

(Space for answers)

MAHARASHTRA STATE BOARD OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Geo-Technical Engineering (9047)

Experiment No. 1

(Space for answers)

MAHARASHTRA STATE BOARD OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION