Comparative study between the multiple-weighing method and the usual oven-drying method for the determination of soil moisture

Abstract

In the present study, a comparison was made between the multiple-weighing method, in which a 500ml Erlenmeyer flask and a 0.lg precision balance are utilized, and the usual oven-drying method, considered an universal comparator for being the most accurate, in which the soil sample is placed to dry in an oven at 105-110°C for a period of 18-24 hours. In order to test the methods under study, samples of three different soils were utilized: Luiz de Queiroz Series, Sertãozinho Series and Monte Olimpo Series. The data obtained were analysed statistically and evidence was shown that a high correlation exists between the methods, with indices of 0.9719, 0.9458 and 0.9487, respectively.