Designation:D4959−16StandardTestMethodforDeterminationofWaterContentofSoilByDirectHeating1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationD4959;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(´)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.1.Scope*1.1Thistestmethodcoversproceduresfordeterminingthewatercontentofsoilsbydryingwithdirectheat,suchasusingahotplate,stove,blowtorch,andthelike.1.2ThistestmethodcanbeusedasasubstituteforTestMethodsD2216whenmorerapidresultsaredesiredtoexpediteotherphasesoftestingandslightlylessaccurateresultsareacceptable.1.3WhenquestionsofaccuracybetweenthistestmethodandTestMethodsD2216arise,TestMethodsD2216shallbetherefereemethod.1.4Thistestmethodisapplicableformostsoiltypes.Forsomesoils,suchasthosecontainingsignificantamountsofhalloysite,mica,montmorillonite,gypsum,orotherhydratedmaterials,highlyorganicsoilsorsoilsthatcontaindissolvedsolids,(suchassaltinthecaseofmarinedeposits),thistestmethodmaynotyieldreliablewatercontentvaluesduetothepotentialforheatingabove110°Corlackofmeanstoaccountforthepresenceofprecipitatedsolidsthatwerepreviouslydissolved.1.5ThevaluesstatedinSIunitsaretoberegardedasstandard.Performanceofthetestmethodutilizinganothersystemofunitsshallnotbeconsiderednon-conformance.Thesievedesignationsareidentifiedusingthe“standard”systeminaccordancewithSpecificationE11,suchas2.0-mmand19-mm,followedbythe“alternative”systemofNo.10and3⁄4-in.,respectively,inparentheses.1.6AllobservedandcalculatedvaluesshallconformtotheguidelinesforsignificantdigitsandroundingestablishedinD6026,unlessotherwisesupersededbythisstandard.1.6.1Theproceduresusedtospecifyhowdataarecollected/recordedorcalculated,inthisstandardareregardedastheindustrystandard.Inaddition,theyarerepresentativeofthesignificantdigitsthatgenerallyshouldberetained.Theproce-duresuseddonotconsidermaterialvariation,purposeforo...
