Assemble the cylindrical metal mold, the detachable collar and the base plate. Insert inside a Lucite liner. Compact in the metal mold the mixture sample (one that had remained after taking the 2.2 kilograms) into three layers, using a hammer. Ensure that the depth of the compacted soil is approximately 127 mm. Spread the blows from the hammer evenly throughout the surface layer for proper compaction.
Remove the detachable collar from the metal mold and trim the compacted soil, using the straight edge to have an even surface. Remove the base plate from the mold; also remove the compacted soil sample and, later on, the liner.
Weigh this sample of soil using the balance to the nearest gram. Slice this sample vertically. Ensure that you maintain a preferable weight of 250 to 500 grams for this cut layer, as this will provide more accurate results. Put the layer of the soil into a pan and place the pan into a stove. Place the mercury thermometer directly above the pan and measure a temperature of 110 degrees. Cool and weigh this sample of soil. Determine the difference in weight between the first and the heated soil.
Perform the calculation to find the moisture density in soil. Divide the difference in weight by the weight of the dry sample after heating and then multiply by 100 to obtain the percentage.