KIPS

Kips are a unit of force used primarily in the United States within civil and structural engineering. One kip equals 1000 pounds-force (lbf). The symbol kip is used in technical writing, and the plural form is kips. A kip represents a force rather than a mass and is commonly employed to express structural loads on beams, foundations, and joints in the US customary system.

Conversions and relationship to metric units: 1 lbf is exactly 4.4482216153 newtons, so 1 kip equals 4448.2216153 newtons, about 4.448 kilonewtons. In metric practice, loads are often stated directly in kilonewtons (kN). Kips provide a convenient unit for designers accustomed to pounds and feet, but care is needed when mixing measurement systems.

Usage and notation: Loads can be expressed as total forces on members (for example, a beam carrying 52 kips) or as intensities per length or area, such as kilips per foot (klf) or kilips per square foot (ksf). These notations appear in structural design codes and specifications in the United States, including standards from organizations like ACI and AISC.

Origin and scope: The term kip is a contraction of kilo-pound and has been in use since the early 20th century. It remains common in North American practice, though international engineers more frequently use kilonewtons. Kips are part of the broader system of English engineering units used for specifying loads and reactions in structural analysis.

See also: Kilonewton, pound-force, klf, ksf.