ABSTRACT
Millimetre mm 1 in = 25.4mm 1mm = 0.0394 in Centimetre cm 1 in = 2.54 cm 1 cm = 0.3937 in Metre m 1 ft = 0.3048m 1m = 3.2808 ft
1 yd = 0.9144m = 1.0936 yd Kilometre km 1mile = 1.6093 km 1km = 0.6214mile
Note: 1 cm = 10mm 1 ft = 12 in 1m = 1 000mm 1 yd = 3 ft 1 km = 1 000m 1mile = 1 760 yd
Area Unit Conversion factors
Square Millimetre mm2 1 in2 = 645.2mm2 1mm2 = 0.0016 in2
Square Centimetre cm2 1 in2 = 6.4516 cm2 1 cm2 = 1.1550 in2
Square Metre m2 1 ft2 = 0.0929m2 1m2 = 10.764 ft2
1 yd2 = 0.8361m2 1m2 = 1.1960 yd2
Square Kilometre km2 1mile2 = 2.590km2 1 km2 = 0.3861mile2
Note: 1 cm2 = 100mm2 1 ft2 = 144 in2
1m2 = 10 000 cm2 1 yd2 = 9 ft2
1 km2 = 100 hectares 1 acre = 4 840 yd2
1mile2 = 640 acres
Volume Unit Conversion factors
Cubic Centimetre cm3 1 cm3 = 0.0610 in3 1 in3 = 16.387 cm3
Cubic Decimetre dm3 1 dm3 = 0.0353 ft3 1 ft3 = 28.329 dm3
Cubic Metre m3 1m3 = 35.3147 ft3 1 ft3 = 0.0283m3
1m3 = 1.3080 yd3 1 yd3 = 0.7646m3
Litre l 1 l = 1.76 pint 1 pint = 0.5683 l = 2.113 US pt = 0.4733 US l
Note: 1 dm3 = 1 000 cm3 1 ft3 = 1 728 in3 1 pint = 20 fl oz 1m3 = 1 000 dm3 1 yd3 = 27 ft3 1 gal = 8 pints 1 l = 1 dm3
Mass Unit Conversion factors
Milligram mg 1mg = 0.0154grain 1 grain = 64.935mg Gram g 1g = 0.0353 oz 1 oz = 28.35 g Kilogram kg 1 kg = 2.2046 lb 1 lb = 0.4536 kg Tonne t 1 t = 0.9842 ton 1 ton = 1.016 t
Note: 1g = 1000mg 1 oz = 437.5 grains 1 cwt = 112 lb 1 kg = 1000g 1 lb = 16 oz 1 ton = 20 cwt 1 t = 1000 kg 1 stone = 14 lb
Force Unit Conversion factors
Newton N 1 lbf = 4.448 N 1kgf = 9.807 N Kilonewton kN 1 lbf = 0.004448 kN 1 ton f = 9.964 kN Meganewton MN 100 tonf = 0.9964 MN
Pressure and stress Unit Conversion factors
Kilonewton per square metre kN/m2 1 lbf/in2 = 6.895 kN/m2
1 bar = 100 kN/m2
Meganewton per square metre MN/m2 1 tonf/ft2 = 107.3 kN/m2 = 0.1073 MN/m2
1 kgf/cm2 = 98.07 kN/m2
1 lbf/ft2 = 0.04788 kN/m2
Coefficient of consolidation (Cv) or swelling
Unit Conversion factors
Square metre per year m2/year 1 cm2/s = 3 154m2/year 1 ft2/year = 0.0929m2/year
Coefficient of permeability Unit Conversion factors
Metre per second m/s 1 cm/s = 0.01m/s Metre per year m/year 1 ft/year = 0.3048m/year
= 0.9651 × (10)8m/s
Temperature Unit Conversion factors
Degree Celsius °C °C = 5/9 × (°F − 32) °F = (9 × °C)/ 5 + 32
km/h m/min mph fpm
1 16.7 0.6 54.7 2 33.3 1.2 109.4 3 50.0 1.9 164.0 4 66.7 2.5 218.7 5 83.3 3.1 273.4
6 100.0 3.7 328.1 7 116.7 4.3 382.8 8 133.3 5.0 437.4 9 150.0 5.6 492.1
10 166.7 6.2 546.8
11 183.3 6.8 601.5 12 200.0 7.5 656.2 13 216.7 8.1 710.8 14 233.3 8.7 765.5 15 250.0 9.3 820.2
16 266.7 9.9 874.9 17 283.3 10.6 929.6 18 300.0 11.2 984.3 19 316.7 11.8 1038.9 20 333.3 12.4 1093.6
21 350.0 13.0 1148.3 22 366.7 13.7 1203.0 23 383.3 14.3 1257.7 24 400.0 14.9 1312.3 25 416.7 15.5 1367.0
26 433.3 16.2 1421.7 27 450.0 16.8 1476.4 28 466.7 17.4 1531.1 29 483.3 18.0 1585.7 30 500.0 18.6 1640.4
31 516.7 19.3 1695.1 32 533.3 19.9 1749.8 33 550.0 20.5 1804.5 34 566.7 21.1 1859.1 35 583.3 21.7 1913.8
36 600.0 22.4 1968.5 37 616.7 23.0 2023.2 38 633.3 23.6 2077.9 39 650.0 24.2 2132.5 40 666.7 24.9 2187.2
41 683.3 25.5 2241.9 42 700.0 26.1 2296.6 43 716.7 26.7 2351.3 44 733.3 27.3 2405.9 45 750.0 28.0 2460.6
km/h m/min mph fpm
46 766.7 28.6 2515.3 47 783.3 29.2 2570.0 48 800.0 29.8 2624.7 49 816.7 30.4 2679.4 50 833.3 31.1 2734.0
Figure Diagram of figure Surface area Perimeter
Square a2 4a
Rectangle ab 2ðaþ bÞ
Triangle 12 ch aþ bþ c
where 2r ¼ d
2r d
Parallelogram ah 2ðaþ bÞ
Trapezium 12 hðaþ bÞ aþ bþ cþ d
Ellipse Approximately ab
ðaþ bÞ
Hexagon 2:6 a2
Figure Diagram of figure Surface area Perimeter
Octagon 4:83 a2 6a
Sector of a circle
note b ¼ angle q360 2r
Segment of a circle
S T where S = area of sector,
T = area of triangle
Figure Diagram of figure Surface area Volume
Cube 6a2 a3
Cuboid/ rectangular block
2ðabþ acþ bcÞ abc
Prism/ triangular block
bdþ hcþ dcþ ad 12 hcd
Cylinder 2r2 þ 2h r2h
Segment of sphere
2ð3R HÞ
Pyramid ðaþ bÞIþ ab 13 abh
Figure Diagram of figure Surface area Volume
Frustum of a pyramid
Iðaþ bþ cþ dÞ þ ffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiðabþ cdÞp [rectangular figure only]
ffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi abcd
p Þ
Cone rl (excluding base)
rlþ r2 (including base)
Frustum of a cone
r2 þ R2 þ lðRþ rÞ 13ðR2 þ Rr þ r2Þ
Formula Description
Pythagoras Theorem A2 = B2 + C2
where A is the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle and B and C are the two adjacent sides
Simpsons Rule The Area is divided into an even number of strips of equal width, and therefore has an odd number of ordinates at the division points
area = SðAþ 2Bþ 4CÞ
where S = common interval (strip width) A = sum of first and last ordinates B = sum of remaining odd ordinates C = sum of the even ordinates
The Volume can be calculated by the same formula, but by substituting the area of each coordinate rather than its length
Trapezoidal Rule A given trench is divided into two equal sections, giving three ordinates, the first, the middle and the last
volume = S ðAþ Bþ 2CÞ
where S = width of the strips A = area of the first section B = area of the last section C = area of the rest of the sections
Prismoidal Rule A given trench is divided into two equal sections, giving three ordinates, the first, the middle and the last
volume = L ðAþ 4Bþ CÞ
where L = total length of trench A = area of the first section B = area of the middle section C = area of the last section
Thermal conductivity
(W/mK)
Thermal conductivity
(W/mK)
Acoustic plasterboard 0.25 Oriented strand board 0.13 Aerated concrete slab (500 kg/m3) 0.16 Outer leaf brick 0.77 Aluminium 237 Plasterboard 0.22 Asphalt (1700 kg/m3) 0.5 Plaster dense (1300 kg/m3) 0.5 Bitumen-impregnated fibreboard 0.05 Plaster lightweight (600 kg/m3) 0.16 Blocks (standard grade 600 kg/m3) 0.15 Plywood (950 kg/m3) 0.16 Blocks (solar grade 460 kg/m3) 0.11 Prefabricated timber wall panels (check
manufacturer) 0.12
Brickwork (outer leaf 1700 kg/m3) 0.84 Screed (1200 kg/m3) 0.41 Brickwork (inner leaf 1700 kg/m3) 0.62 Stone chippings (1800 kg/m3) 0.96 Dense aggregate concrete block 1800 kg/m3 (exposed)
1.21 Tile hanging (1900 kg/m3) 0.84
Dense aggregate concrete block 1800 kg/m3 (protected)
1.13 Timber (650 kg/m3) 0.14
Calcium silicate board (600 kg/m3) 0.17 Timber flooring (650 kg/m3) 0.14 Concrete general 1.28 Timber rafters 0.13 Concrete (heavyweight 2300 kg/m3) 1.63 Timber roof or floor joists 0.13 Concrete (dense 2100 kg/m3 typical floor)
1.4 Roof tile (1900 kg/m3) 0.84
Concrete (dense 2000 kg/m3 typical floor)
1.13 Timber blocks (650 kg/m3) 0.14
Concrete (medium 1400 kg/m3) 0.51 Cellular glass 0.045 Concrete (lightweight 1200 kg/m3) 0.38 Expanded polystyrene 0.034 Concrete (lightweight 600 kg/m3) 0.19 Expanded polystyrene slab (25 kg/m3) 0.035 Concrete slab (aerated 500 kg/m3) 0.16 Extruded polystyrene 0.035 Copper 390 Glass mineral wool 0.04 External render sand/cement finish 1 Mineral quilt (12 kg/m3) 0.04 External render (1300 kg/m3) 0.5 Mineral wool slab (25 kg/m3) 0.035 Felt – Bitumen layers (1700 kg/m3) 0.5 Phenolic foam 0.022 Fibreboard (300 kg/m3) 0.06 Polyisocyanurate 0.025 Glass 0.93 Polyurethane 0.025 Marble 3 Rigid polyurethane 0.025 Metal tray used in wriggly tin concrete floors (7800 kg/m3)
50 Rock mineral wool 0.038
Mortar (1750 kg/m3) 0.8
Material Mass (kg/m3) Mass (lb/cu yd)
Ashes, dry 610 1028 Ashes, wet 810 1365 Basalt, broken 1954 3293 Basalt, solid 2933 4943 Bauxite, crushed 1281 2159 Borax, fine 849 1431 Caliche 1440 2427 Cement, clinker 1415 2385 Chalk, fine 1221 2058 Chalk, solid 2406 4055 Cinders, coal, ash 641 1080 Cinders, furnace 913 1538 Clay, compacted 1746 2942 Clay, dry 1073 1808 Clay, wet 1602 2700 Coal, anthracite, solid 1506 2538 Coal, bituminous 1351 2277 Coke 610 1028 Dolomite, lumpy 1522 2565 Dolomite, solid 2886 4864 Earth, dense 2002 3374 Earth, dry, loam 1249 2105 Earth, Fullers, raw 673 1134 Earth, moist 1442 2430 Earth, wet 1602 2700 Felsite 2495 4205 Fieldspar, solid 2613 4404 Fluorite 3093 5213 Gabbro 3093 5213 Gneiss 2696 4544 Granite 2690 4534 Gravel, dry ¼ to 2 inch 1682 2835 Gravel, dry, loose 1522 2565 Gravel, wet ¼ to 2 inch 2002 3374 Gypsum, broken 1450 2444 Gypsum, solid 2787 4697 Hardcore (consolidated) 1928 3249 Lignite, dry 801 1350 Limestone, broken 1554 2619 Limestone, solid 2596 4375 Magnesite, magnesium ore 2993 5044 Marble 2679 4515 Marl, wet 2216 3735 Mica, broken 1602 2700 Mica, solid 2883 4859 Peat, dry 400 674 Peat, moist 700 1179
Peat, wet 1121 1889
Material Mass (kg/m) Mass (lb/cu yd)
Potash 1281 2159 Pumice, stone 640 1078 Quarry waste 1438 2423 Quartz sand 1201 2024 Quartz, solid 2584 4355 Rhyolite 2400 4045 Sand and gravel, dry 1650 2781 Sand and gravel, wet 2020 3404 Sand, dry 1602 2700 Sand, wet 1831 3086 Sandstone, solid 2412 4065 Shale, solid 2637 4444 Slag, broken 2114 3563 Slag, furnace granulated 961 1619 Slate, broken 1370 2309 Slate, solid 2667 4495 Snow, compacted 481 810 Snow, freshly fallen 160 269 Taconite 2803 4724 Trachyte 2400 4045 Trap rock, solid 2791 4704 Turf 400 674 Water 1000 1685
Type of vehicle Capacity of vehicle
Payload Heaped capacity
Wheelbarrow 150 0.10 1 tonne dumper 1250 1.00 2.5 tonne dumper 4000 2.50 Articulated dump truck (Volvo A20 6 × 4) 18500 11.00 Articulated dump truck (Volvo A35 6 × 6) 32000 19.00 Large capacity rear dumper (Euclid R35) 35000 22.00 Large capacity rear dumper (Euclid R85) 85000 50.00
Machine type Cycles per minute Volume per minute (m3)
1.5 tonne excavator 1 0.04 2 0.08 3 0.12
3 tonne excavator 1 0.13 2 0.26 3 0.39
5 tonne excavator 1 0.28 2 0.56 3 0.84
7 tonne excavator 1 0.28 2 0.56 3 0.84
21 tonne excavator 1 1.21 2 2.42 3 3.63
Backhoe loader JCB3CX excavator 1 0.28 Rear bucket capacity 0.28m3 2 0.56
3 0.84
Backhoe loader JCB3CX loading 1 1.00 Front bucket capacity 1.00m3 2 2.00
Machine type Loads per hour Volume per hour (m3)
1 tonne high tip skip loader 5 2.43 Volume 0.485m3 7 3.40
10 4.85
3 tonne dumper 4 7.60 Max volume 2.40m3 5 9.50 Available volume 1.9m3 7 13.30
10 19.00
6 tonne dumper 4 15.08 Max volume 3.40m3 5 18.85 Available volume 3.77m3 7 26.39
10 37.70
Type of soil Approximate bulking of 1m3 after excavation
Vegetable soil and loam 25-30% Soft clay 30-40% Stiff clay 10-20% Gravel 20-25% Sand 40-50% Chalk 40-50% Rock, weathered 30-40% Rock, unweathered 50-60%
Type of soil Approximate bulking of 1m3 after excavation
Clay 10% Gravel 8% Gravel and sand 9% Loam and light sandy soils 12% Loose vegetable soils 15%
Material m3 of voids/m3
Alluvium 0.37 River grit 0.29 Quarry sand 0.24 Shingle 0.37 Gravel 0.39 Broken stone 0.45 Broken bricks 0.42
Type of soil Degrees
Clay – dry 30 – damp, well drained 45 – wet 15-20
Earth – dry 30 – damp 45
Gravel – moist 48 Sand – dry or moist 35
– wet 25 Loam 40
Ratio of base to height Angle in degrees
5:1 11 4:1 14 3:1 18 2:1 27 1½:1 34 1:1 45 1:1½ 56 1:2 63 1:3 72 1:4 76 1:5 79
Degrees Percent Degrees Percent
1 1.8 24 44.5 2 3.5 25 46.6 3 5.2 26 48.8 4 7.0 27 51.0 5 8.8 28 53.2 6 10.5 29 55.4 7 12.3 30 57.7 8 14.0 31 60.0 9 15.8 32 62.5
10 17.6 33 64.9 11 19.4 34 67.4 12 21.3 35 70.0 13 23.1 36 72.7 14 24.9 37 75.4 15 26.8 38 78.1 16 28.7 39 81.0 17 30.6 40 83.9 18 32.5 41 86.9 19 34.4 42 90.0 20 36.4 43 93.3 21 38.4 44 96.6 22 40.4 45 100.0 23 42.4
Ground conditions Bearing power
kg/m2 lb/in2 Metric t/m2
Rock, broken 483 70 50 solid 2415 350 240
Clay, dry or hard 380 55 40 medium dry 190 27 20 soft or wet 100 14 10
Gravel, cemented 760 110 80
Sand, compacted 380 55 40 clean dry 190 27 20
Swamp and alluvial soils 48 7 5
Ground conditions Feet (ft) Metres (m)
Compact soil 12 3.66 Drained loam 6 1.83 Dry sand 1 0.3 Gravelly earth 2 0.61 Ordinary earth 3 0.91 Stiff clay 10 3.05
Type of material kg/m³ lb/cu ft
Ordinary concrete (dense aggregates)
Non-reinforced plain or mass concrete Nominal weight 2305 144 Aggregate – limestone 2162 to 2407 135 to 150
– gravel 2244 to 2407 140 to 150 – broken brick 2000 (av) 125 (av) – other crushed stone 2326 to 2489 145 to 155
Reinforced concrete Nominal weight 2407 150 Reinforcement – 1% 2305 to 2468 144 to 154
– 2% 2356 to 2519 147 to 157 – 4% 2448 to 2703 153 to 163
Special concretes
Heavy concrete Aggregates – barytes, magnetite 3210 (min) 200 (min)
– steel shot, punchings 5280 330
Lean mixes Dry-lean (gravel aggregate) 2244 140 Soil-cement (normal mix) 1601 100
Type of material kg/m2 lb/sq ft per mm thick per inch thick
Ordinary concrete (dense aggregates)
Solid slabs (floors, walls etc.) Thickness: 75mm or 3 in 184 37.5
100mm or 4 in 245 50 150mm or 6 in 378 75 250mm or 10 in 612 125 300mm or 12 in 734 150
Ribbed slabs Thickness: 125mm or 5 in 204 42
150mm or 6 in 219 45 225mm or 9 in 281 57 300mm or 12 in 342 70
Special concretes
Finishes etc. Rendering, screed etc. Granolithic, terrazzo 1928 to 2401 10 to 12.5
Glass-block (hollow) concrete
1734 (approx) 9 (approx)
Prestressed concrete Weights as for reinforced concrete (upper limits)
Air-entrained concrete Weights as for plain or reinforced concrete
Materials Voids % Weight kg/m3
Sand 39 1660 Gravel 10-20mm 45 1440 Gravel 35-75mm 42 1555 Crushed stone 50 1330 Crushed granite (over 15mm) 50 1345 (n.e. 15mm) 47 1440 'All-in' ballast 32 1800-2000
Material kg/m³ lb/cu yd
Vermiculite (aggregate) 64-80 108-135
All-in aggregate 1999 125
Recommended mix
Class of work suitable for Cement Sand Coarse aggregate
Nr 25kg bags cement per
m3 of combined aggregate
(kg) (kg) (kg)
1:3:6 Roughest type of mass concrete such as footings, road haunching over 300mm thick
208 905 1509 8.30
1:2.5:5 Mass concrete of better class than 1:3:6 such as bases for machinery, walls below ground etc.
