• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2017

During a construction of embankment, sub base, or retaining wall backfill, the speedy measurement of water content is necessary. In this study, a test method for field determination of water content of soil by the calcium carbide gas pressure (speedy water content measurement method) was evaluated for its reliability and accuracy. Dry oven and microwave oven methods were also used for water content measurement. In the test, weathered granite and Nakdong River sand in the site and kaolinite were used for water content measurement. The mass of 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30 g of soil was respectively tested for 1, 3, and 5 min. The effect of each sample on water content was compared one another and analyzed. As the mass and testing time increased, the water content increased. The amount of soil was more important factor than testing time for the speedy water content measurement. In order to obtain similar result to that of dry oven method, 3 min of testing time with 24 g of soil was necessary for weathered granite classified as SM and 3 min with 30 g for Nakdong River sand classified as SP. For Nakdong River sand with 20-50% of kaolinite, the water content by speedy measurement increased as the clay content increased.