Enter the outer and inner radius (or diameter) and the length of a pipe or tube to get the volume of the wall material, the surface area and the capacity of the bore. Add a material such as steel, copper or PVC to get the weight.
24 solids in six groups. Enter the dimensions and the model updates instantly.
Prices are in whatever currency you use. The material price needs a material or density above.
Export the shape at your real size for 3D printing, or print a flat net you can cut out and fold into a paper model.
R is the outer radius and r the inner radius. If you know the outside diameter and the wall thickness t, the inner radius is R − t. The litres and gallons line shows what the pipe holds inside. Choose a material under More options for the weight of the pipe itself.
This page is the pipe (hollow cylinder) view of the full 3D Shape Calculator, which covers 24 solids. Every shape button is still available, so you can compare solids without leaving the page.
In every formula, r is a radius, h is a height or depth, and all measurements must use the same unit. The result is in that unit cubed for volume and squared for area.
A steel pipe has an outer radius of 5 cm, an inner radius of 4 cm and a length of 12 cm. The wall volume is π × 12 × (5² − 4²) ≈ 339.3 cm³, so at 7,850 kg/m³ it weighs about 2.66 kg. The bore holds π × 4² × 12 ≈ 603 cm³, or 0.60 litres.
Pipe volume is used to find how much water a pipeline holds, how much a tube weighs for shipping, how much insulation or paint is needed, and how much material a cast or extruded tube contains.
How do I calculate the volume of water inside a pipe? Use the inner radius: V = π × r² × length. The capacity line shows it in litres and US gallons.
How do I calculate the weight of a pipe? Find the wall volume, then multiply by the density of the material. Pick the material under More options and the calculator does the multiplication, for example about 7,850 kg/m³ for steel.
What is the inner radius if I know the wall thickness? Subtract the wall thickness from the outer radius: r = R − t. For diameters, subtract twice the thickness.
Is a hollow cylinder the same as a pipe? Yes. A pipe, a tube, a ring and a sleeve are all hollow cylinders with an outer and an inner radius.