Pressure Unit Converter
MPa, kPa, bar, psi and kgf/cm² — every unit at once.
Inputs
Result
Formula
| Base | 1 MPa = 1 N/mm² = 1000 kPa = 1 000 000 Pa |
| Old metric | 1 kgf/cm² = 0.0980665 MPa ≈ 0.1 MPa |
| Anglo-American | 1 psi = 6.89476 kPa, 1 bar = 100 kPa |
| Heads | 1 mH₂O = 9.80665 kPa, 1 atm = 10.33 mH₂O |
| Grade | C30 concrete = 30 MPa = 30 N/mm² = 300 kgf/cm² |
30 MPa is 300 kgf/cm², 4351.13 psi or 300 bar. A 1.0 MPa pipeline test equals 10.2 m of water head or 145.04 psi.
Pressure and strength unit reference
| Unit | Symbol | In MPa | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Megapascal | MPa | 1 | Concrete strength, design pressure |
| Kilopascal | kPa | 0.001 | Bearing capacity |
| Bar | bar | 0.1 | Imported plant, air pressure |
| Pound per square inch | psi | 0.006895 | US equipment |
| Kilogram-force per cm² | kgf/cm² | 0.09807 | Old drawings, water pressure |
| Metre of water | mH₂O | 0.009807 | Pump head |
| Atmosphere | atm | 0.101325 | Physical reference |
FAQ
Why is concrete strength in MPa when old drawings say “200 grade”?
“Grade 200” meant 200 kgf/cm², which is 19.6 MPa, today's C20. Old codes used grades in kgf/cm² and new ones use MPa classes; the conversion is not a simple divide by ten — C20 matches 200, C30 matches 300, C15 matches 150 — the factor is always 0.098.
How is pipeline test pressure set?
Water supply lines are tested at 1.5 times working pressure and not less than 0.6 MPa; fire mains at 1.5 times working pressure and not less than 1.4 MPa, never exceeding 1.5 times the nominal rating. Choose gauges whose range is 1.5-2 times the test pressure — an oversized gauge hides leaks in its reading error.
Is 1 bar the same as “one kilo of pressure”?
Site talk of “one kilo” means 1 kgf/cm² = 0.098 MPa while 1 bar is 0.1 MPa, 2% apart — fine as a rough equivalence. But nameplate values in bar, psi and MPa must be converted properly: in a high-rise, 2% is the difference between adequate and inadequate pressure on the top floor.
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Results are estimating aids only and are not a design basis. Construction and final accounts must follow the drawings, the applicable standards and an approved method statement. Anything affecting structural safety, shoring or falsework must be checked by a suitably qualified engineer.