WEIGHING TANKERS
Page 63
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II 1 read with interest your report concerning the recent case of S J Bargh (CM 24 November).
Much comment was made of surge caused by vehicle braking. In my experience exactly the same effect can be caused by starting a vehicle from standstill and can be exaggerated by trying to maintain the slow, even speed required for dynamic weighing.
The specific gravity of liquid chemicals can be as high as 1.8 and there are no regulations limiting the amount of uflage (free space above the load in a tank) in the UK. I am unaware that any testing has been carried out to establish accurate criteria on longitudinal liquid surge weight transfer in road tankers.
Until some accurate and workable data is available, any figures produced from dynamic weighing of liquid tankers, especially single-compartment tanks, cannot be regarded as accurate.
Parry Davis, Transport Consultancy Services, Northivich, Cheshire.