Tank Containers

Tank thickness in ADR 2003

The new ADR, which went into force on January 1st 2003, has introduced a new formula for determining the shell thickness of tanks carrying dangerous goods.

Firstly, this has meant an increase in the wall thickness of tanks with aluminium alloys. Using new-generation alloys, a competitive payload can be sustained while at the same time, as tests have shown, the safety margin can be increased by 30%. Tank vehicles are usually constructed from alloys of the alloy family 5000 (AIMg-alloys), such as the alloy EN-AW-5083, which contains 4.5 percent magnesium and traces of manganese.

The mechanical characteristics of this alloy met the stipulations of the old ADR for the building of tanks in which wall thicknesses had to be 5.12 mm. Under the new ADR, wall thickness has been increased for tanks using material of the same quality to 6.6 mm. However, two other new types of aluminium alloy fulfil the rules of the new ADR and still offer wall thicknesses of 5 or 5.3 mm. So the tank remains as light as it was. The aluminium industry will continue to further develop its alloys. However any further reduction in wall thickness would have to mean long negotiations with European governments, since the new ADR currently stipulates an absolute minimum tank wall thickness of 5mm.

(Der Gefahrgut-BEAUFTRAGTE 11/2002, originally published in German)

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