Friction Loss Copper Steel Plastic Pipes
Reference data and engineering information about friction loss copper steel plastic pipes for material properties applications.
Overview
Friction head loss varies between steel (Schedule 40), copper (Type L), and PVC (Schedule 40) pipes due to differences in inside diameter, surface wetted area, and wall roughness. The disparity grows at smaller pipe sizes and higher flow rates. The data below compares friction loss in feet of head per 100 feet of pipe across common commercial pipe sizes.
All PVC values are calculated using the Hazen-Williams equation with a roughness coefficient C = 145.
Due to differences in inside cross sectional areas, wet surfaces and the roughness of the surfaces - there can be significant difference in friction head loss in steel, copper and plastic PVC pipes. The difference varies with size of pipe and flow rate.
The PVC pipe calculation are made with the Online Hazens-Williams Calculator with a roughness coefficient c = 145.
Unit conversions:
| From | To | Factor |
|---|---|---|
| 1 ft H₂O / 100 ft | psi / 100 ft | × 0.44 |
| 1 ft H₂O / 100 ft | kPa / 100 m | × 9.8 |
| 1 ft H₂O / 100 ft | mm H₂O / 100 m | × 1000 |
Restored Original Source Tables
The following tables are restored from the original source page to preserve the complete reference data.
Friction Loss in Steel, Copper and Plastic Pipes - 3"
Flow Rate (gal/min) | Steel pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) | Copper pipe Type L(ft/100 ft) | PVC pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.6 |
| 60 | 1 | 1.1 | 0.9 |
| 70 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| 80 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| 90 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 1.8 |
| 100 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.2 |
| 150 | 5.3 | 5.7 | 4.8 |
| 200 | 9.1 | 9.5 | 8.1 |
| 250 | 13.6 | 14.2 | 12.8 |
| 300 | 19.8 | 19.8 | 17.1 |
| 400 | 34.2 | 33.4 | 29 |
Source: engineeringtoolbox.com
Friction Loss in Steel, Copper and Plastic Pipes - 4"
Flow Rate (gal/min) | Steel pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) | Copper pipe Type L(ft/100 ft) | PVC pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| 150 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.3 |
| 200 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.2 |
| 250 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.3 |
| 300 | 5 | 5.1 | 4.6 |
| 400 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 7.8 |
Source: engineeringtoolbox.com
Friction Loss in Steel, Copper and Plastic Pipes - 5"
Flow Rate (gal/min) | Steel pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) | Copper pipe Type L(ft/100 ft) | PVC pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| 200 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| 250 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| 300 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| 400 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.6 |
| 500 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 3.9 |
Source: engineeringtoolbox.com
Friction Loss in Steel, Copper and Plastic Pipes - 6"
Flow Rate (gal/min) | Steel pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) | Copper pipe Type L(ft/100 ft) | PVC pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| 200 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 |
| 250 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| 300 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| 400 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| 500 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 1.6 |
| 750 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.4 |
| 1000 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 5.8 |
Source: engineeringtoolbox.com
Friction Loss in Steel, Copper and Plastic Pipes - 8"
Flow Rate (gal/min) | Steel pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) | PVC pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 150 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| 200 | 0.08 | 0.08 |
| 250 | 0.12 | 0.12 |
| 300 | 0.17 | 0.16 |
| 400 | 0.3 | 0.28 |
| 500 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| 750 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| 1000 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| 1250 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
| 1500 | 3.5 | 3.2 |
| 2000 | 6 | 5.5 |
Source: engineeringtoolbox.com
Friction Loss in Steel, Copper and Plastic Pipes - 10"
Flow Rate (gal/min) | Steel pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) | PVC pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 200 | 0.03 | 0.03 |
| 250 | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| 300 | 0.06 | 0.05 |
| 400 | 0.1 | 0.09 |
| 500 | 0.15 | 0.14 |
| 750 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| 1000 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| 1250 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| 1500 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| 2000 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
Source: engineeringtoolbox.com
Friction Loss in Steel, Copper and Plastic Pipes - 12"
Flow Rate (gal/min) | Steel pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) | PVC pipe Schedule 40(ft/100 ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 400 | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| 500 | 0.06 | 0.06 |
| 750 | 0.13 | 0.13 |
| 1000 | 0.2 | 0.21 |
| 1250 | 0.3 | 0.32 |
| 1500 | 0.5 | 0.45 |
| 2000 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| 3000 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
Source: engineeringtoolbox.com
Engineering Notes
Hazen-Williams PVC Pipe Friction Loss Calculator
Friction Loss Unit Converter
- PVC consistently shows the lowest friction loss across all sizes and flow rates due to its smoother interior surface (Hazen-Williams C = 145 versus roughly C = 130–140 for new steel).
- Copper Type L and Steel Schedule 40 perform similarly at larger diameters and moderate flows. At the 2-inch size and higher flow rates, copper can actually exceed steel due to its tighter internal dimensions.
- Friction loss increases roughly with the square of velocity, so doubling the flow rate can quadruple the head loss.
- The values shown apply to new, clean pipe. Corrosion, scale buildup, and biofilm growth in steel and copper pipes will increase losses over the service life. PVC retains its initial roughness characteristics much longer.
- For system design, add losses from fittings, valves, and elevation changes on top of straight-pipe friction losses.