Water Content or Moisture Content
Water content (w)
It is defined as the weight of water to the weight of solids present in the given soil mass.
Moisture content (m)
It is defined as the mass of water to the mass of solids present in the given soil mass. The result of water content & moisture content is the same.
Water content Or Moisture Content is the Unit less.
m= ( mass of water/ mass of solids )*100
When We numerator and denominator are multiplied by Gravity (g). Then moisture content changes into the water content.
w = (Weight of water/ Weight of Solids )*100
w = ( Ww / Ws ) *100.
w ≥ 0% (When a sample is dry, water content w=0% and increase the water in soil water content is increased).
w = Water content.
Ww = Weight of water.
Ws = Weight of Solids.
W = Total weight of soil = (Ws + Ww).
Relation in between Ws, w, & W.
w = Ww / Ws.
w +1 = ( Ww / Ws ) +1
w + 1 = ( Ww+Ws) /Ws = W/Ws.
Ws = W/ (w+1). or Ms= M/(m+1).
Water content can also be represented in terms of the total weight of soil (w’).
w’ = (Weight of water/ Weight of Soil )*100.
w’ = ( Ww / W ) *100
0% ≤ w'< 100% ( Here w’ is less than 100% because, if w’ is equal to 100% then the weight of water (Ww) is equal to the weight of soil(W) means no soil present in soil mass, only water present that is no soil).
Relation in between w & w’.
w’= Ww / W.
w’ = Ww / ( Ww+ Ws ) .
w’ = (Ww / Ww) /(Ww/Ww + Ws/Ww ) = 1 / ( 1 + 1/w ).
w’ = w / 1+w.
or w= w’ / 1-w’.
Weight of solids is comparatively stable in comparison to the weight of soil as it does not change with a change in the weight of water, hence the engineering significance of w>w’.
| Subject | Soil Mechanics |
| Unit | Soil Formation & Properties of Soil |
| Topic | Water Content or Moisture Content |
| Next Topic | Determination of Water Content of Soil |
| Previous Topic | Phase Diagram of Soil |
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