Dry Unit Weight

The Dry Unit Weight calculator computes the Dry Unit Weight (aka bulk density) based on the oven dry mass and total volume of a sample.

INSTRUCTIONS: Choose units and enter the following:

• (W_S) Oven-dry mass of the sample
• (V_tot ) Total volume of the sample, pore volume + solid volume

Dry Unit Weight (γ_D): The calculator returns bulk density in grams per cubic centimeter.  However, this can be automatically converted to compatible units via the pull-down menu.

The Math / Science

The Dry Unit Weight equation is used to determine a soil- sample's mass per unit volume by measuring the soil's wetness, volumetric water content, and porosity. It is also known as bulk density.

The formula for the Dry Unit Weight (bulk density) is:

      γ_D = W_S / V_tot

where:

• γ_D is the Dry Unit Weight (bulk density)
• W_S is the oven dry mass of the sample
• V_tot is the total volume of the sample, pore volume + solid volume