17
VARIOS
4. Turn the sample ring over, holding onto the filter paper, so the noncutting side is facing down.
5. Place the noncutting side of the sample ring with filter paper onto a LABROS saturation
plate (
).
Figure 16 LABROS Saturation plate
6. Remove the cover from the cutting side of the sample ring.
7. Place the sample ring cover upside down on top of the small filter paper.
8. Place one of the small filter papers on the cutting side of the sample ring.
9. Place the LABROS saturation plate and sample ring in a tray.
Figure 17 Saturation plate in water trough
10. Fill the tray with about 3 cm of room-temperature tap water.
11. Tilt the saturation plate carefully to every side to remove air bubbles.
12. It is important to let the sample saturate through capillary action.
Let the sample pull the water from the bottom to the top. Do not pour water on the top of
the sample because air enclosures and the pores won't completely fill with water.
13. Be sure that the tray and the soil samples are not directly exposed to sunlight.
14. In case the material swells as it takes in water, place a weight on top of the sample.
15. Saturation is finished when the surface of the sample is glossy.