What this converter does
This converter changes soil bearing capacity between kPa, tsf, kg/cm², psf and MPa. Metric reports and US foundation design use different pressure units for the same allowable bearing value. Every pair uses an exact factor, so results stay precise. Type a value and read the answer instantly.
Typical allowable bearing pressure runs from about 75 kPa for soft clay to over 600 kPa for dense gravel.
The units it covers
Soil bearing-pressure units, each expressed against the kilopascal.
View all units & their values
| Unit | Symbol | Value | Mainly used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kilopascal | kPa | 1 | SI, geotechnical reports |
| Ton per square foot | tsf | 95.76 | US foundation practice |
| Kilogram-force per cm² | kg/cm² | 98.07 | Legacy metric, ≈ 1 bar |
| Pound per square foot | psf | 0.04788 | US allowable pressures |
| Megapascal | MPa | 1000 | Rock, high-capacity soils |
The formula
Each unit has a fixed value in kPa, so any pair converts through kPa:
result = value × factor_from ÷ factor_toWhere:
- value = the number you typed
- factor_from = the “from” unit in kPa
- factor_to = the “to” unit in kPa
Worked example
Convert 200 kPa to tons per square foot.
1 tsf = 95.76 kPa200 ÷ 95.76 = 2.089 tsfSo 200 kPa is about 2.09 tsf — a firm bearing stratum.
The units in this example
The SI unit of pressure used for allowable and ultimate bearing capacity in geotechnical reports.
- 1 kPa ≈ 0.01044 tsf
- 100 kPa ≈ 1.044 tsf
- 1 kPa ≈ 0.0102 kg/cm²
- 1 MPa = 1,000 kPa
A US customary bearing-pressure unit (short ton per square foot) used in foundation design.
- 1 tsf = 95.76 kPa
- 1 tsf ≈ 0.976 kg/cm²
- 1 tsf = 2,000 psf
- 2 tsf ≈ 192 kPa