Design Considerations of an All FRP Highway Cargo Tank

Abstract As the transportation industry in North America changes, the demand imposed on carriers to offer flexible, reliable, and low maintenance highway cargo tanks has never been greater. They are now taking a harder look at an all Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic highway cargo tanks. Even if they have been used, since the early 60's, in the corrosive transportation very successfully in Canada; the Unites States transportation industry seems to rely on ferrous type of cargo tanks lined with a corrosion resistant barrier. To date, in excess of 30 millions road miles have been logged on FRP cargo tank without any incident relating to the material of construction, A portion of this experience has been gained in the US, as the United States Department of Transportation, also known as the US DOT, has recognised this type of cargo tank under special permits issued on a per design basis. Based on our past experience, and our proven design we have received the only DOT 412 class cargo tank exemption issued by the US DOT to manufacture, mark, and sell an all FRP DOT 412 cargo tank in the US. In Canada, an exemption is not required as the regulations have recognised FRP as an acceptable material of construction.