Introduction to the SI metric system

Units of measurement and metrication 3

Summary: The SI system (after Le Systme International dUnites)

is the internationally adopted standard of measurement, based on the
meter-kilogram-second-ampere system of fundamental units, modifying the prior European metric unit system and replacing the United
States customary measurement systems. This introduction provides a
brief overview.
Key words: metrics, metrification, customary measurement units,
SI units.
What is SI metric?
SI metric is the name given to the new measurement system being
adopted on a worldwide basis. It differs somewhat from the longstanding European metric system. SI stands for Le Systme International dUnites, a name generated by the thirty six nations meeting at
the 11th General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) in
1960. SI is a coherent means of measurement based on the meterkilogram-second-ampere system of fundamental units. Conversions
within the system are never necessary (e.g., as in the customary system, ounces to pounds and inches to feet, etc.).
How new is the Metric System to the United States?
Developed at the time of the French Revolution, the metric system
spread throughout Europe during the Napoleonic era. It was promoted
in the United States first by Thomas Jeffersion and subsequently by
John Quincy Adams. In 1866, Congress made the metric system a
legal system of units for U.S. use. In 1875 the United States and sixteen other nations formed the General Conference on Weights and
Measures (CGPM). The United States has been active in the periodic
meetings of this group. In 1893, an Executive Order made the meter
and the kilogram fundamental standards from which the pound and
the yard would henceforth be derived. In 1960 the CGPM established
the SI system and has subsequently modified it in several meetings.
Who is coordinating the conversion to SI Metric in the United States?
The Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 and its amendments declared the metric system as the preferred system of measurement in the United States and required its use in all federal activities
to the extent feasible. Federal agencies formed the Construction
Metrification Council within the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) in Washington, DC. The Council is responsible for coordinating activities and distributing information and metric resources
(NIBS 1991).
What are some rules of grammar?

TOC

i
W

Double prefixes should never be used; e.g., use Gm (gigameter),

not Mkm (megakilometer).
Base units are not capitalized unless in writing a symboll derived
from a proper name; e.g., 12 meters or 12m, 60 newtons or 60N.
Plurals are writen normally except for quantities less than 1. In
such cases the s is deleted; e.g., 2.6 meters and 0.6 meter.
Prefix symbols are not capitalized except for M (mega), G (giga),
and T(tera). This avoids confusion with m (meter), g (gram), and
t (metric ton). One metric ton (t) is equal to one megagram (Mg).
Periods are not used after symbols except at the end of a sentence.
Commas should not be used to clarify groups of digits; instead,
use spaced groups of three on each side of the decimal point.

Table 1

What are the principal units used in structures which

will be of concern to the architect?
Name

Symbol

Use

Meter
Millimeter
Square millimeters
Square meters
Hectare
104 m
Cubic millimeters
Cubic meters
Section modulus
Moment of inertia
Kilogram
Newton
Pascal

m
mm
mm2
m3
ha

Site plan dimensions, building plans

Building plans and details
Small areas
Large areas
Very large areas (1 hectare equals

mm3
m3
mm3
mm4
kg
N
Pa

Mass density
Degree Celsius

kg/ m3
C

Small volumes
Large volumes
Property of cross section
Property of cross section
Mass of all building materials
Force (all structural computations)
Stress or pressure (all structural
computations;
one pascal equals one newton per
square meter)
Density of materials
Temperature measurement
Table 2

Multiplication factors

Prefix

Symbol

10

tera

109
106
103

giga (jiga)
mega
kilo

G
M
k

102
101
10-1
10-2

hecto
deka
deci
centi

h
da
d
c

10-3

milli

10-6
10-9
10-12
10-13
10-18

micro
nano (nano)
pico (peco)
femto
atto

m
n
p
f
a

12

frequently
used by
architects

To be consistent and avoid confusion, prefixes should change in steps of 103;

therefore, these four should be avoided if at all possible.

Author: R. E. Shaeffer
Credits: Introduction reproduced from R.E. Shaeffer, Building Structures: Elementary analysis and design. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: PrenticeHall. 1980. by permission of the author. ASTM Standard (following pages) reproduced by permission American Society for Testing and
Materials.
References: ASTM. 1994. ASTM E621Standard Practice for the Use of Metric (SI) Units in Building Design and Construction. Philadelphia: American Society for Testing and Materials.
NIBS. 1991. Metric Guide for Federal Construction. Washington, DC: National Institute of Buidling Sciences.
Copyright 1999 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Use of this product is subject to the terms of its License Agreement.Click here to view.

Time Saver Standards: Part III, Appendix

AP-89