Experimental methods for road tankers. A critical review

The transportation of liquids involves several situations derived from the curved shape of the cargo containers, including a comparatively high center of gravity, which negatively shifts when the container is partially loaded, and the vehicle is subjected to steering or braking accelerations. Aiming at reducing these effects several experimental approaches have been applied, involving different tank shapes and the use of baffles, tested under laboratory or field conditions, at full scale or at a down-scale. However, the scope of such approaches has been limited, mainly because the potential effect of other components of the vehicle on the road tanker behavior, has been neglected. In this paper, a critical review is presented of the experimental approaches considered so far, identifying specific experimental needs to improve the performance of the vehicles, from both the road safety and the environmental perspective.