Moisture Content

Content of moisture in products like wood - wet and dry basis

Moisture Content on Dry Basis

Moisture content on dry basis is the mass of water to the mass of dry solid:

MC_d = m_h2o / m_d(1)

where

MC_d = moisture content on dry basis

m_h2o = mass of water (kg, lb)

m_d = mass of dry solid (kg, lb)

Moisture content on dry basis is commonly used in the timber industry. Note that it is common to multiply values with 100%.

Water Content on Wet Basis

Water content on wet basis is the mass of water to the mass of water and mass of solid:

MC_w = m_h2o / m_w

= m_h2o / m_h2o + m_d(2)

where

MC_w = moisture content on wet basis

m_h2o = mass of water (kg, lb)

m_w = total mass of moist - or wet - sample - mass of solid and mass of water (kg,lb)

Dry vs. Wet Moisture Calculator

m_H2o - mass of water (kg, lb)

m_d - mass of dry solid (kg,lb)

m_H2o - mass of water (kg, lb)

m_w - total mass (kg,lb)

Example - Water Content in Birch on Wet Basis

The density of air-dried seasoned dry Birch is 705 kg/m³ with 20% (0.2) water content. The amount of water per unit volume can be calculated by transforming (2) to

m_h2o = m_wMC_w

= (705 kg/m³) (0.2)

= 141 kg/m³

The amount of solids can be calculated as

m_d= (705 kg/m³) (1 - 0.2)

= 564 kg/m³

Example - Moisture Content in Birch on Dry Basis

The density of air-dried seasoned dry Birch is 705 kg/m³ with 20% (0.2) moisture content. Equation (1) can be modified to

MC_d = m_h2o / (m - m_h2o) (1b)

where

m = mass water and solid (kg, lb)

This equation can be transformed to

m_h2o = MC_d m / (1 + MC_d ) (1c)

The moisture content per unit volume can be calculated as

m_h2o = (0.2) (705 kg/m³) / (1 + (0.2))

= 117.5 kg/m³

The amount of solids can be calculated as

m_d= m - m_h2o

= (705 kg/m³) - (117.5 kg/m³)

= 587.5 kg/m³

Moisture and Water Content Calculator

mass (kg, lb)

moisture/water content (%)

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Moisture Content

Content of moisture in products like wood - wet and dry basis