Sand Bath Method For Water Content Determination Of Soil
The water content or moisture content of the soil is the amount of water present in the soil. In this article, we discuss the sand bath method for water content determination of soil.
The water content of the soil is calculated through various methods, the sand bath method is one of those methods.
Sand Bath Method
The sand bath method is the field method for the determination of the water content in the soil.
The sand bath method is very fast but it is not more accurate than the oven-drying method.
A sand bath is a large, open vessel containing sand filled up to 3 cm in depth.
Apparatus Required For Sand Bath Method
- Sand Bath– It is a large, open vessel containing sand filled up to 3 cm in depth.
- Tray– The soil is taken on the tray and crumbled.
- Stove– It is used for heating purposes.
- Palette knife– use for turning the soil sample during heating.
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Procedure Of Sand Bath Method
1. First, the weight of the empty tray is measured as M1, and the soil sample is crumbled and placed loosely on the tray.
2. A few pieces of white paper are placed on the crumbled soil sample and the weight of try with soil sample is measured as M2.
3. The tray with the soil sample is placed on the sand bath and the sand bath is heated over a stove.
4. During heating, the sample of soil is turned with a palette knife, when the overheating happens the white pieces of paper become brown.
5. After 20 to 60 minutes the complete evaporation of water is done and the soil becomes dry.
6. When drying is complete, the tray is removed, cooled, and weighted as M3.
7. This process is repeated three times and the average value is taken.
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Observation Table Of Sand Bath Method
| S.No. | Sample | Trial 1 | Trial 2 | Trial 3 |
| 1 | M1 mass of the empty tray | – | – | – |
| 2 | M2 mass of the tray with moist soil | – | – | – |
| 3 | M3 mass of the tray with dry soil | – | – | – |
Calculations
The calculations of water content are done from the following equation-
The formula for the calculation of water content through the Sand Bath Method is w= (Mw / Ms).100.
Here Mw= M2-M3 and Ms=M3-M1.
Calculation Table
| S.No. | Sample | Trial 1 | Trial 2 | Trial 3 |
| w= (M2-M3 / M3-M1).100 = (Mw / Ms).100 | – | – | – |
Result- Average water content of the soil sample is —
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Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)
What is the sand bath method?
The sand bath method is a field method for the determination of the water content of the soil.
What is the method of water content determination in soil?
Here are the seven methods of water content determination in soil-
1. Oven Drying Method
2. Sand Bath Method
3. Pycnometer Method
4. Alcohol Method
5. Radiation Method
6. Calcium Carbide Method
7. Torsion Method
What is the advantage of the sand bath method for water content determination in the soil?
The main advantage of the sand bath method is, it is very fast for the water content determination in the soil.
What is the disadvantage of the sand bath method for water content determination in the soil?
The sand bath method is not more accurate for water content determination in the soil.
