Convert Pounds per Square Foot to Technical Atmospheres
Convert Pounds per Square Foot (lbf/ft²) to Technical Atmospheres (at) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
at = lbf/ft² × 0.0004882427636
About Pounds per Square Foot
One pound per square foot (psf) ≈ 47.88 Pa - the standard structural engineering load unit in US practice. Building codes specify design loads in psf: residential floors 40 psf; office buildings 50-80 psf; assembly areas 100+ psf; snow loads can exceed 100 psf. Wind pressure on building facades, soil bearing capacity for shallow foundations, and lateral earth pressure in retaining walls are all in psf. The related unit ksf (1,000 psf = 47.88 kPa) covers higher-capacity soils and deep foundations. 1 psf = 47.88 Pa.
About Technical Atmospheres
One technical atmosphere (at) = exactly 1 kgf/cm² = 98,066.5 Pa ≈ 0.968 standard atmospheres. The metric technical pressure unit used in pre-SI European and Japanese engineering for boilers, hydraulic cylinders, and compressed gas systems. A steam boiler at 10 at operates at 0.981 MPa; hydraulic presses are rated at 200-600 at. Still used parenthetically in old German and Japanese machinery manuals and standards (DIN 1301-3 legacy). Converts simply from kgf/cm²: 1 at ≡ 1 kgf/cm². 1 at = 98,066.5 Pa.
Quick Reference Table
| Pounds per Square Foot (lbf/ft²) | Technical Atmospheres (at) |
|---|---|
| 1 lbf/ft² | 0.000488243 at |
| 2 lbf/ft² | 0.000976486 at |
| 5 lbf/ft² | 0.00244121 at |
| 10 lbf/ft² | 0.00488243 at |
| 25 lbf/ft² | 0.0122061 at |
| 50 lbf/ft² | 0.0244121 at |
| 100 lbf/ft² | 0.0488243 at |