Megapascal (MPa) - Unit Information & Conversion
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What is a Megapascal?
Megapascal (MPa) = 1 million pascals = 1,000 kPa. Used for high-pressure systems, material strength, hydraulics. 1 MPa = 145 PSI = 10 bar. Concrete strength: 20-40 MPa. Hydraulics: 10-35 MPa typical.
History of the Megapascal
SI-derived unit for high pressures. Became standard in engineering and materials science with SI adoption. Convenient for expressing material strengths, industrial pressures without unwieldy numbers.
Quick Answer
What is a Megapascal? Megapascal (MPa) = 1 million pascals = 1,000 kPa. Standard unit for material strength, hydraulic pressure, high-pressure systems. 1 MPa = 145 PSI = 10 bar. Concrete: 20-40 MPa. Hydraulics: 20-35 MPa. Use our pressure converter for conversions.
Key Facts: Megapascal
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Symbol | MPa |
| Quantity | Pressure |
| System | Metric/SI Derived |
| Derived from | Pascal |
| Category | Pressure |
| Standard Body | NIST / ISO |
Definition
1 MPa = 1,000,000 Pa = 1,000 kPa = 145.038 PSI = 10 bar = 9.869 atm
Why Megapascal?
MPa is the "sweet spot" for engineering pressures:
- Pascal is too small: 1 Pa = barely measurable (atmospheric is 101,325 Pa)
- Kilopascal is too granular: Engineering specs in kPa are 4-5 digit numbers (20,000 kPa for concrete)
- MPa is optimal: Concrete 20-40 MPa (simple, memorable)
- Engineering standard: All material specs given in MPa
- SI-derived: ISO and international standards use MPa
Common Uses
Materials Engineering: Tensile strength, compressive strength, yield strength - THE standard unit for all material properties. Hydraulics: High-pressure hydraulic systems (construction, manufacturing, heavy equipment). Pressure Vessels: Gas cylinders, boilers, reactors, automotive fuel systems. Geotechnical: Soil bearing capacity, rock strength, foundation design. Aerospace: Structural requirements, component ratings.
Material Strengths (Compressive/Tensile)
Understanding material strength is critical for engineering design:
| Material | Type | Strength (MPa) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Styrofoam | Compression | 0.01-0.1 | Very weak, insulation only |
| Wood (softwood) | Compression | 20-40 | Pine, spruce, fir typical |
| Wood (hardwood) | Compression | 40-60 | Oak, maple stronger |
| Brick | Compression | 10-40 | Varies by firing temperature |
| Concrete (standard) | Compression | 20-40 | Common 28-day strength |
| Concrete (high-strength) | Compression | 50-100 | Pre-stressed applications |
| Granite | Compression | 100-250 | Very strong, suitable for columns |
| Aluminum alloy (6061) | Tensile | 200-300 | Common structural aluminum |
| Aluminum alloy (7075) | Tensile | 500-600 | High-strength aerospace |
| Steel (structural ASTM A36) | Yield | 250 | Common building steel |
| Steel (high-strength ASTM A572) | Yield | 345-450 | Bridge, crane applications |
| Steel (ultra-high) | Tensile | 500-1,000 | Special applications |
| Steel cable (wire rope) | Tensile | 1,600-2,000 | Elevators, suspension bridges |
| Carbon fiber composite | Tensile | 3,000-7,000 | Aerospace, racing |
| Kevlar fiber | Tensile | 3,600-3,800 | Armor, protective gear |
Design factor: Actual working stress = material strength ÷ safety factor (typically 2-4)
Hydraulic Systems (High Pressure)
Hydraulic pressure ratings define system capability:
| System Type | Operating Pressure | Peak Pressure | PSI Equivalent | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive brake | 10-15 MPa | 20 MPa | 1,500-2,900 PSI | Car braking force |
| Automobile power steering | 10-15 MPa | 20 MPa | 1,500-2,900 PSI | Steering assist |
| Construction excavator | 20-35 MPa | 40 MPa | 2,900-5,800 PSI | Digging bucket |
| Backhoe | 25-30 MPa | 35 MPa | 3,625-5,075 PSI | Heavy lifting |
| Dump truck bed | 20-25 MPa | 30 MPa | 2,900-4,350 PSI | Lifting load |
| Industrial press | 20-40 MPa | 50 MPa | 2,900-7,250 PSI | Metal forming |
| Hydraulic jack | 50-70 MPa | 80 MPa | 7,250-11,600 PSI | Lifting capability |
| Water jet cutter | 200-400 MPa | 450 MPa | 29,000-65,000 PSI | Material cutting |
| Oil well pump | 100-200 MPa | 250 MPa | 14,500-36,250 PSI | Deep well pressure |
Pressure Vessels & Storage
Pressure ratings determine safe working limits:
| Vessel Type | Typical Pressure | Material | Working PSIG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compressed air tank | 0.8-1.0 MPa | Steel | 116-145 PSI |
| Propane BBQ tank | 1.5-2.0 MPa | Steel | 218-290 PSI |
| Scuba tank (full) | 20-30 MPa | Aluminum/Steel | 3,000-4,350 PSI |
| Natural gas vehicle | 20-25 MPa | Composite | 3,000-3,625 PSI |
| Hydrogen fuel cell | 35-70 MPa | Carbon fiber | 5,000-10,000 PSI |
| Industrial gas cylinder | 15-20 MPa | Steel | 2,175-2,900 PSI |
| Medical oxygen | 13.8-15 MPa | Aluminum | 2,000-2,175 PSI |
| Nitrogen (instrument) | 10-13.8 MPa | Steel | 1,450-2,000 PSI |
Safety factor: Pressure vessels typically designed with 4:1 to 6:1 safety margin
Geotechnical Engineering (Soil/Rock)
Foundation and excavation design based on pressure ratings:
| Material/Condition | Bearing Capacity | Suitable For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft clay | 0.05-0.2 MPa | Temporary structures | High settlement risk |
| Medium clay | 0.1-0.3 MPa | Single story | Careful design needed |
| Stiff clay | 0.3-0.5 MPa | Multi-story buildings | Good load capacity |
| Dense sand | 0.3-0.6 MPa | Foundation base | Excellent for building |
| Gravel/sand mixture | 0.6-1.0 MPa | Heavy structures | Very good bearing |
| Soft rock (shale) | 1-10 MPa | Bridge supports | Rock analysis needed |
| Medium rock | 10-50 MPa | Tall buildings | High capacity |
| Hard rock (granite) | 50-100+ MPa | Largest structures | Excellent foundation |
Design process: Site investigation → soil tests → pressure capacity → foundation design
Grand Technical Megapascal Registry: Infrastructure Skyscraper
A massive registrar documenting 1000 unique MPa-scale pressure milestones across material science and structural engineering.
Material Strength & Stress Logs (MPa)
- MPaLog 2001: 1.0 MPa - Standard tensile strength of high-performance localized suburban mortar mixes area site.
- MPaLog 2002: 5.0 MPa - Compressive strength threshold for standard structural lightweight concrete units station.
- MPaLog 2003: 10.0 MPa - Internal steam pressure for a high-capacity regional industrial thermal boiler unit area hub.
- MPaLog 2004: 25.0 MPa - Industry standard compressive strength for residential structural concrete framing site area.
- MPaLog 2005: 50.0 MPa - High-performance concrete (HPC) rating for bridge pier and infrastructure log hub station.
- MPaLog 2006: 100.0 MPa - Yield strength for early industrial-grade structural steel alloys in historical engineering.
- MPaLog 2007: 250.0 MPa - Standard yield strength for modern A36 structural steel used in global skyscraper logs.
- MPaLog 2008: 500.0 MPa - Threshold for high-tensile reinforcement bars (Rebar) in specialized seismic engineering.
- MPaLog 2009: 1000.0 MPa - 1 GPa barrier, characteristic of specialized carbon-fiber and micro-alloyed materials.
Megapascal Conversion Formulas
To Pascal:
To Kilopascal:
To Hectopascal:
To Bar:
To Millibar:
To Atmosphere:
To Technical Atmosphere:
To Torr:
To Millimeter of Mercury:
To Inch of Mercury:
To Pound per Square Inch:
To Kilopound per Square Inch:
To Kilogram-force per Square Centimeter:
To Kilogram-force per Square Meter:
To Millimeter of Water Column:
To Inch of Water Column:
Frequently Asked Questions
Formula: PSI = MPa × 145.038 Examples:
- 1 MPa = 145 PSI
- 10 MPa = 1,450 PSI (car brakes)
- 20 MPa = 2,900 PSI (hydraulic tools)
- 30 MPa = 4,350 PSI (scuba tank)
- 70 MPa = 10,153 PSI (H2 fuel tank) MPa to PSI converter →
Convert Megapascal
Need to convert Megapascal to other pressure units? Use our conversion tool.