Wet Bulk Density of Soil

Wet bulk density of soil, abbreviated as \(Y_{sat}\), is a measure of the mass of wet soil per unit volume.  Wet bulk density includes both the solid particles of soil and the void spaces filled with water.

To determine the wet bulk density of soil, you would first collect a sample of soil from the field.  The soil sample should be representative of the area you are interested in studying.  Then you weigh the sample to find its mass.  Next, you measure the volume of the soil, which can be done by using a container of known volume and filling it with the wet soil.  Make sure that the soil is thoroughly saturated with water during this process.

Once you have both the mass and volume measurements, you can calculate the wet bulk density using the formula above.  This value provides information about the density of the soil when it is in a wet or fully saturated state, which can be important for various agricultural, engineering, and environmental applications, such as irrigation planning, soil compaction assessment, and soil classification.

 

Wet Bulk Density of Soil Formula
\( \rho_{sat} \;=\;  \dfrac{ m_l + m_s }{ V_t  }\)     (Wet Bulb Density of Soil) \(  m_l  \;=\;   \rho_{sat} \cdot V_t  -  m_s  \) \(  m_s  \;=\;   \rho_{sat} \cdot V_t  -  m_l  \) \( V_t  \;=\;  \dfrac{  m_l + m_s }{ \rho_{sat}  }\)
Symbol	English	Metric
\( \rho_{sat} \)  (Greek symbol rho) = Soil Saturated Bulk Density	\(lbm \;/\; ft^3\)	\(kg \;/\; m^3\)
\( m_l \) = Liquid Mass	\(lbm\)	\(kg\)
\( m_s \) = Solid Mass	\(lbm\)	\(kg\)
\( V_t \) = Total Volume of Soil	\(ft^3\)	\(m^3\)