Soil - Water Content

Water or moisture content in soil can be expressed as:

w = 100 × Mw / Ms

Where:

• w = moisture content (%)
• Mw = mass of water in soil (kg, lb)
• Ms = dry mass of soil (kg, lb)

Water content can be tested according to ASTM D 2216-92 by determining the mass of the wet soil specimen and then drying the soil in an oven for 12-16 hours at a temperature of 110°C. Values can vary from essentially 0% (near surface rubble, gravel or clean sand) up to 1200% (organic soil like fibrous peat).