Enter the internal pressure and the cylinder diameter into the calculator to determine the axial force.

Axial Force Formula

The following equation is used to calculate the Axial Force.

AF = P * pi*d^2/4
  • Where AF is the axial force (lb-f)
  • P is the internal pressure (lbs/in^2)
  • d is the cylinder internal diameter (in)

To calculate the axial force, multiply the internal pressure by pi times the diameter squared over 4.

What is an Axial Force?

Definition:

A force is said to be an axial force if applied along the body’s axis. In engineering and physics, it is essential to identify the type of force acting on a body.

An axial force can be either a tensile or a compressive force. If the axial force tends to pull the body apart, it is a tensile force. On the other hand, if the axial force tends to compress or squeeze the body, it is known as a compressive force.

Typically axial forces are used to describe the forces acting along a tube’s axis under internal or external pressure.

How to Calculate Axial Force?

Example Problem:

The following example outlines the steps and information needed to calculate Axial Force.

First, determine the internal pressure. In this example, the tube is subjected to an internal pressure of 500 psi.

Next, determine the diameter of the tube. For this problem, the cylinder has a diameter of 5 inches.

Finally, calculate the axial force using the formula above:

AF = P * pi*d^2/4

AF = 500 * 3.14159*5^2/4

AF = 9817.46 N