Research and analysis

Assessing the safety of petroleum fuel tankers (November 2015)

November 2015 research into the safety of certain petroleum road fuel tanks that are not fully compliant with chapter 6.8 of the ADR.

• From: Department for Transport
• Published: 30 November 2015

Documents

Technical assessment of petroleum road fuel tankers: overall summary

PDF, 4.7 MB, 56 pages

Work package 1

30.5 MB

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Work package 2

72.3 MB

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Work package 3

5.92 MB

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Details

This research was commissioned by the Department for Transport to assess the safety of certain petroleum road fuel tanks. It assessed tanks found to not fully comply with chapter 6.8 of the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR).

The research consisted of 3 work packages:

• work package 1: full scale testing and associated modelling, led by the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL)
• work package 2: detailed fracture and fatigue engineering critical assessment, led by TWI Ltd
• work package 2: accident data and regulatory implications, and production of an overall summary report of the research, led by TRL Ltd

Background to this research

Vehicles used to transport large quantities of dangerous goods, including petroleum products, must meet the requirements of the ADR. Following examination, certain petroleum road fuel tankers have been found to not be fully compliant with the provisions of chapter 6.8 of ADR. Initial examinations and an initial technical assessment of the tanks’ circumferential welds showed that these welds might rupture under rollover and ADR load conditions. DfT commissioned further research to assess the safety of these non-compliant tankers together with a tank properly certified in accordance with the requirements of ADR.

Previous research papers on petroleum road fuel tankers were published in December 2014.

Published 30 November 2015