CVR_CODU8681_05_SE_BEP.

QXD

3/1/10

5:16 PM

Page 2

Unit Conversion Factors

ENGLISH UNITS
The following English units are commonly used in geotechnical engineering.
TABLE 1 Common English Units
Unit

Measurement

Symbol

Foot
Inch
Pound
Kip (kilopound)
Ton
Second
Pound per square foot
Pound per square inch
Pound per cubic foot

Distance
Distance
Force or mass
Force
Force or mass
Time
Stress or pressure
Stress or pressure
Unit weight

ft
in.
lb
kip
t
s
lb/ft2 or psf
lb/in.2 or psi
lb/ft3 or pcf

SI AND METRIC UNITS

The following SI (Systme International) units are commonly used in geotechnical
engineering.
TABLE 2 Common SI Units
Unit

Measurement

Symbol

Meter
Gram
Newton
Pascal
Kilonewton per cubic meter
Second

Distance
Mass
Force
Stress or pressure
Unit weight
Time

M
g
N
Pa
kN/m3
s

These units are often accompanied by the following prefixes.

TABLE 3 Common SI Prefixes
Prefix

Symbol

milli
centi
kilo
mega

m
c
k
M

Multiplier
10 -3
10 -2
103
106

Some non-SI metric units also are used, especially in Europe.The most common example
is the use of kg/cm2 as a unit of stress.

CVR_CODU8681_05_SE_BEP.QXD

3/1/10

5:16 PM

Page 3

CONVERSION FACTORS
The conversion factors in Tables 48 are useful for converting measurements between
English, metric, and SI units. Most of these factors are rounded to four significant figures.
Those in bold type are absolute conversion factors (e.g., 12 in. = 1 ft). When units of
force are equated to units of mass, the acceleration 1F = ma2 is presumed to be
9.807 m/s 2 132.17 ft/s 22, which is the acceleration due to gravity on the earths surface.
There are at least three definitions for the word ton: the 2000-lb short ton
(commonly used in the United States and Canada), the 2240-lb long ton (used in Great
Britain), and the 2205-lb (1000 kg) metric ton (also known as a tonne).
A useful approximate conversion factor: 1 short ton/ft2 L 1kg/cm2 L 100 kPa L 1
atmosphere. These are true to within 2 to 4%.
TABLE 4 Units of Distance
To Convert

To

Multiply by

ft
ft
in.
in.
m
mm

in.
m
t
mm
ft
in.

12
0.3048
1/12
25.40
3.281
0.03937

TABLE 5 Units of Force

To Convert

To

Multiply by

k
k
kgf
kgf
kgf
kN
lb
lb
lb
lb
lb
N
N
ton (short)
ton (long)
ton (metric)

kN
lb
lb
N
ton (metric)
k
k
kgf
N
ton (short)
ton (long)
kgf
lb
lb
lb
kgf

4.448
1000
2.205
9.807
0.001
0.2248
0.001
0.4536
4.448
1/2000
1/2240
0.1020
0.2248
2000
2240
1000

TABLE 6 Units of Volume

To Convert
3

ft
gal

To

Multiply by

gal
ft3

7.481
0.1337

CVR_CODU8681_05_SE_BEP.QXD

3/1/10

5:16 PM

Page 4

TABLE 7 Units of Stress and Pressure

To Convert

To

Multiply by

atmosphere
atmosphere
bar
kgf/cm2
kgf/cm2
kPa
kPa
kPa
kPa
kPa
kPa
lb/ft2
lb/ft2
lb/ft2
lb/in.2
lb/in.2
lb/in.2
metric ton/m2
MPa

lb/ft2
kPa
kPa
kPa
lb/ft2
atmosphere
bar
kgf/cm2
lb/ft2
lb/in.2
metric ton/m2
atmosphere
kPa
lb/in.2
kPa
lb/ft2
MPa
kPa
lb/in.2

2117
101.3
100
98.07
2048
0.009869
0.01
0.01020
20.89
0.1450
0.1020
4.725 * 10-4
0.04787
1/144
6.895
144
6.895 * 10-3
9.807
145.0

TABLE 8 Units of Unit Weight

To Convert

To

Multiply by

kN/m3
kN/m3
kN/m3
lb/ft3
metric ton/m3
Mgf/m3

lb/ft3
metric ton/m3
Mgf/m3
kN/m3
kN/m3
kN/m3

6.366
0.1020
0.1020
0.1571
9.807
9.807