SI UNITS

The 2001 Edition of the Boiler and Pressure Vessel

Code is based on U.S. Customary (ft-lb) units of measurement, which are to be regarded as the standard. This
supplement is provided as a convenience to the Code
user and contains SI conversion factors for units contained
in the Code.

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01

LIST OF SI UNITS FOR USE WITH ASME BOILER AND PRESSURE VESSEL CODE1
Quantity
Space and Time
plane angle
length
area
volume
time

Periodic and Related Phenomena

frequency
rotational frequency
Mechanics
mass
density
moment of inertia
force
moment of force (torque)
pressure and stress
energy, work
power
impact strength
section modulus
moment of section
(second moment of area)
fracture toughness
Heat
temperature thermodynamic
[Note (2)]
temperature other than
thermodynamic
linear expansion coefficient
quantity of heat
heat flow rate
thermal conductivity
thermal diffusivity
specific heat capacity
Electricity and Magnetism
electric current
electric potential
current density
magnetic field strength

Unit
radian
meter
square meter
cubic meter

rad
m
m2
m3

second

hertz
revolutions per second

Hz
s1

kilogram
kilogram per cubic meter
kilogram meter2
newton
newton-meter
pascal
joule
watt
joule
meter3
meter4

kg
kg/m3
kg m2
N
Nm
Pa
J
W
J
m3
m4

Pa

Other Units or
Limitations

Symbol

degree (decimalized)

liter (L) for liquid only (use without

prefix other than in milliliter, mL)
minute (min), hour (h), day (d), week,
and year

revolutions per second (r/s)

revolutions per minute (r/m)

(pascal p newton per square meter)

kilowatt-hour (kW h)

kelvin

degree Celsius (C)

degree Celsius

kelvin (K)

meter per meter-kelvin

joule
watt
watt per meter-kelvin
square meter per second
joule per kilogram-kelvin

K1
J
W
W/(m K)
m2 /s
J/(kg K)

C1

ampere
volt
ampere per meter2
ampere per meter

A
V
A/m2
A/m

W/(m C)
J/(kg C)

NOTES:
(1) Conversion factors between SI units and U.S. customary are given in SI-1, ASME Orientation and Guide for Use of SI (Metric) Units,
and ASTM E 380.
(2) Preferred use for temperature and temperature interval is degrees Celsius (C), except for thermodynamic and cryogenic work where kelvins
may be more suitable. For temperature interval, 1 K p 1C exactly.

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COMMONLY USED CONVERSION FACTORS1

(For Others See ASTM E 380)
Quantity

To Convert From

Multiply by
[Note (2)]

To

plane angle

degree

rad

1.745 329

E02

length

in
ft
yd

m
m
m

2.54*
3.048*
9.144*

E02
E01
E01

area

in2
ft2
yd2

m2
m2
m2

6.451 6*
9.290 304*
8.361 274

E04
E02
E01

volume

in3
ft3
US gallon
Imperial gallon
liter

m3
m3
m3
m3
m3

1.638
2.831
3.785
4.546
1.0*

706
685
412
09

E05
E02
E03
E03
E03

mass

lbm
ton (metric) (mass)
ton (short 2,000 lbm)

kg
kg
kg

4.535 924
1.000 00*
9.071 847

E01
E+03
E+02

force

kgf
lbf

N
N

9.806 65*
4.448 222

E+00
E+00

bending, torque

kgf m
lbf in
lbf ft

Nm
Nm
Nm

9.806 65*
1.129 848
1.355 818

E+00
E01
E+00

pressure, stress

kgf/m2
lbf/ft2
lbf/in2 (psi)
kips/in2
bar

Pa
Pa
Pa
Pa
Pa

9.806
4.788
6.894
6.894
1.0*

65*
026
757
757

E+00
E+01
E+03
E+06
E+05

energy, work

Btu (IT) [Note (3)]

ft lbf

J
J

1.055 056
1.355 818

E+03
E+00

power

hp (550 ft lbf/s)

7.456 999

E+02

fracture toughness

ksi

1.098 843

E+06

temperature

C
F
F

K
K
C

tK p tC + 273.15
tK p (tF + 459.67)/1.8
tC p (tF 32)/1.8

temperature interval

C
F

K
K or C

1.0*
5.555 555

in

Pa

E+00
E01

NOTES:
(1) Care should be taken when converting formulas or equations that contain constant terms or factors. The value of these terms must be
understood and may also require conversion.
(2)(a) Relationships that are exact in terms of the base units are followed by a single asterisk.
(b) The factors are written as a number greater than 1 and less than 10 with 6 or less decimal places. The number is followed by the letter
E (for exponent), a plus or minus symbol, and two digits which indicate the power of 10 by which the number must be multiplied to
obtain the correct value. For example: 3.523 907 E02 is 3.523 907 102 or 0.035 239 07.
(3) International Table

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