A new unit layer model for the equiva lent t hermal co nductivity of layered steel strips has been proposed. The equivale nt thermal conductivity is a functio n of strip thickness, surface characteristics and compressive stress. The modeled eq ui valent thermal conduct ivity corresponds well to the ex perimental data. Finite element analyses (FE M) fo r cooli ng of hot rol led coil have been carried out under various cooling condi tions using the equivale nt ther mal conduct ivity as the thermal conductivity in radial di rection of hot rol led coi l. A new calculation procedure using ABAQUS has been developed, where th e radi al compress ive ther mal stres s is taken into account for ca lculatio n of the eq ui va lent th ermal conduct i vi tι or th e orthotropic stress dependent ther ma l co nductivity . The calcul ated cool ing curv es using the orthotrop ic stress dependent thermal conductivity have been compared with data calculated usi ng isot ropic and orthotropic stress independent conductiv ity and with experimenta l data. The cooling curves ca lcul ated usi ng eq uivalent thermal conductivity as rad ial thermal conductivi ty are in better ag reement with ex per imental data.