Lecture 26 Page 1 of 11

Lecture 26 Metric

Metric units are used everywhere in the world EXCEPT the USA. It is based on
scientific measurements, not the length of a kings foot or the weight of a chicken.

Metric Conversion Factors
Multiply: By: To Obtain:
inches 25.4 millimeters (mm)
inches 0.0254 meters (m)
feet 304.8 millimeters (mm)
feet 0.3048 meters (m)
Length
yards 0.9144 meters (m)
in
2
645.2 mm
2

ft
2
92,909 mm
2

ft
2
0.0929 m
2

Area
yd
2
0.836 m
2

in
3
16,387 mm
3

ft
3
28,317,000 mm
3

ft
3
0.0283 m
3

gallons 0.003785 m
3
=1000 liters
Volume
gallons 3.785 liters
Weight pounds 0.454 kilograms (kg)
pounds 4.448 Newtons (N)
kips 4448 Newtons (N)
Force
pounds per foot (PLF) 14.594 Newtons per meter (N/m)
Lb-In 0.11299 N-m
Lb-Ft 1.3559 N-m
Kip-Ft 1355.9 N-m
Kip-Ft 1.3559 kN-m
Moment
Kip-In 112.99 N-m
Unit weight Lb per ft
3
(PCF) 0.1571 kN/m
3

Lb per in
2
(PSI) 6895 Pascals =Pa =N/m
2

Lb per in
2
(PSI) 6.895 kPa =kilopascals =1000 Pa
Lb per in
2
(PSI) 0.0006895 mPa =megapascals =N/mm
2

Kips per in
2
(KSI) 6895 kPa
Kips per in
2
(KSI) 6.895 mPa
Lb per ft
2
(PSF) 47.88 Pa
Lb per ft
2
(PSF) 0.04788 kPa
Kips per ft
2
(KSF) 47.88 kPa
Stress (pressure)
Kips per ft
2
(KSF) 0.04788 mPa

Lecture 26 Page 2 of 11

Example 1
GIVEN: All road construction projects in New York State have drawings
with metric measurements. All metric drawings always use units of mm
for everything. (Reminder: 1 m =1000 mm)
REQUIRED: Convert 1500 mm as shown on the drawings into
feet/inch/sixteenths.

Use the conversion 1 inch =25.4 mm

Number of inches =
inch per mm
mm
_ _ 4 . 25
1500


=59.055118 inches

=48 + 11.055118

=4 + 11.055118

=4 + 11 + (0.055118 x 16
th
)

=4 + 11 +
ths 16
88 . 0



1500 mm = 4-11 "
16
1

Example 2
GIVEN: The x-sectional area of a W30x211 steel beam =62.0 in
2
.
REQUIRED: Determine the area of the beam in units of mm
2
.

Use the conversion 1 inch =25.4 mm

1 inch x 1 inch =25.4 mm x 25.4 mm

1 in
2
=645.2 mm
2


Number of mm
2
=62.0 in
2
x 645.2 mm
2
per in
2


Area = 40,002 mm
2


Lecture 26 Page 3 of 11
Example 3
GIVEN: The tank below.
REQUIRED: How many liters are in the tank?




















Use the conversion 1 ft
3
=0.0283 m
3


Volume =1781 ft
3
(0.0283 m
3
per ft
3
)
=50.4 m
3


Volume =50.4 m
3
(1000 liters per m
3
)

Volume = 50,400 liters

7-0
Dia. =18-0
Vol. = ) ' 7 ( ) ' 18 (
4
2

=1781 ft
3


=1781 ft
3
(7.48 gals per ft
3
)

Vol. = 13324 gal.
Lecture 26 Page 4 of 11
Example 4
GIVEN: An ASTM A325 steel bolt is capable of resisting an allowable
shear stress of 30 kips per square inch (KSI)
REQUIRED: What is the allowable shear stress for the bolt in units of
KPa?

Use the conversions of 1 inch =25.4 mm

1 Pa =1 N/m
2


1 kPa =1000 Pa

1 lb =4.448 N

30 KSI =
2
1
30000
in
lb


30 KSI =
) 0254 . 0 )( 0254 . 0 (
) _ _ 448 . 4 )( 30000 (
m m
lb per N lb


30 KSI =
) 00064516 . 0 (
) 133440 (
2
mm
N


30 KSI =206,832,414 N/m
2


30 KSI =206,832,414 Pa

30 KSI = 206,832 kPa

Lecture 26 Page 5 of 11
Metric Loads

All metric loads, forces and derivatives of those are in units of Newtons.
Below is a sampling of typical minimum design live loads for buildings:

Minimum Uniformly Distributed Live Loads per ASCE 7-02
Occupancy: Pounds per ft
2
kN/m
2
(soft metric)
Assembly area fixed seats 60 2.87
Assembly area movable seats 100 4.79
Balconies - residential 60 2.87
Bowling alleys, poolrooms, rec. areas 75 3.59
Dining rooms and restaurants 100 4.79
Gymnasium 100 4.79
Hospital operating rooms, labs 60 2.87
Hospital private rooms 40 1.92
Library reading room 60 2.87
Library stack rooms 150 7.18
Office 50 2.40
Residential 40 1.92
Schools - classrooms 40 1.92
Stadium - bleachers 100 4.79
Stores 1
st
floor retail 100 4.79



Material Properties
Unit Weight:
Modulus Of Elasticity (E):
Yield Stress (f
y
): Material:
Lb/ft
3
kN/m
3
Kips/in
2
kN/mm
2
Kips/in
2
N/mm
2

Steel A36 490 77.2 29,000 205 36 248
Steel A992 490 77.2 29,000 205 50 345
Aluminum 170 26.7 10,000 70 28 190
Concrete (4000 psi)
150 23.6 3,600 25.4 - -
Wood - SYP 37 5.8 1,600 11.3 6 42
Earth sandy
100 15.7 - - - -
Water 62.4 9.8 - - - -


Lecture 26 Page 6 of 11
Metric Dimensions

All metric dimensions are in units of millimeters. Below are a few
examples of architectural drawings in metric dimensions:









Lecture 26 Page 7 of 11







Lecture 26 Page 8 of 11
Example 5 LRFD Steel Beam Analysis
GIVEN: A simply-supported ASTM A992 steel W18x35 beam is loaded as
shown (all loads are factored and includes beam weight). Assume the
beam is continuously laterally braced.
REQUIRED:
1) Determine the maximum factored moment in units of kN-m.
2) Determine the plastic section modulus, Z
x
of the beam in units
of mm
3
.
3) Determine the LRFD design moment of the beam M
n
in units of
kN-m.
4) Determine if the beam is adequate in moment.












Step 1 - Determine the maximum factored moment in units of kN-m:

M
max
=
8
2
L w
u


=
8
) 11 )( / 3 (
2
m m kN


M
max
= 45.4 kN-m

Step 2 - Determine the plastic section modulus of the beam in units of mm
3
:

From LRFD properties W18x35 Z
x
=66.5 in
3


Z
x
=66.5 in
3
x

in
mm
x
in
mm
x
in
mm 4 . 25 4 . 25 4 . 25

Z
x
= 1,089,742 mm
3


11 m
w =3 kN/m
Lecture 26 Page 9 of 11
Step 3 - Determine the LRFD design moment of the beam M
n
in units of kN-m:

From LRFD:

M
n
=0.9F
y
Z
x


where: F
y
=345 N/mm
2


Z
x
=1,089,742 mm
3


M
n
=0.9(345 N/mm
2
)(1,089,742 mm
3
)

=338,360,000 N-mm

=338,360,000 N-mm x

mm
m
x
N
kN
1000 1000


M
n
= 338.4 kN-m

Step 4 - Determine if the beam is adequate in moment:

Since M
n
= 338.4 kN-m > M
max
= 45.4 kN-m beam is OK


See table above
Lecture 26 Page 10 of 11
Example 6 ACI Concrete Beam Analysis
GIVEN: The rectangular concrete beam shown below. All loads are
factored and includes beam weight. Use f
c
=25 mPa and 3 20 mm
diameter bars having f
y
=400 mPa.
REQUIRED:
1) Determine the ACI 318 factored moment capacity, M
u
of the beam in
units of kN-m.
2) Determine the ACI 318 factored moment capacity of the beam in units
of Kip-Feet.

















Step 1 Det. moment capacity M
u
in units of kN-m:

M
u
=0.9A
s
f
y
d(1 -

c
y act
f
f
'
59 . 0

)

where: A
s
=3 bars

4
) 20 (
2
mm

=942.5 mm
2



act
=
bd
A
s


=
) 350 )( 250 (
5 . 942
2
mm mm
mm


=0.0108
250
350
Lecture 26 Page 11 of 11
M
u
=0.9A
s
f
y
d(1 -

c
y act
f
f
'
59 . 0

)

=0.9(942.5 mm
2
)(400 N/mm
2
)(350 mm)(1 -

2
2
/ 25
/ 400 )( 0108 . 0 (
59 . 0
mm N
mm N
)

=106,640,000 N-mm

=106,640,000 N-mm x

mm
m
x
N
kN
1000 1000


M
u
= 106.6 kN-m


Step 2 Det. moment capacity M
u
in units of Kip-Feet:

M
u
=106.6 kN-m x

m kN
Feet Kip
3559 . 1


M
u
= 78.6 Kip-Feet







See conversion
table above