# -6 Thickness of plates.

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 49 CFR 179.220-6
- **title:** -6 Thickness of plates.
- **source type:** regulation
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** current
- **official:** true
- **published on:** Not available
- **effective on:** 2026-08-18
- **summary:** (a) The wall thickness, after forming of the inner container shell and 2:1 ellipsoidal heads must be not less than specified in § 179.221-1, or not less than that calculated by the following formula:

Where: d = Inside diameter in inches; E = 0.9 welded joint efficiency; except E = 1.0 for seamless 
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- **source url:** https://www.ecfr.gov/on/2026-08-18/title-49/section-179.220-6
**body:**

(a) The wall thickness, after forming of the inner container shell and 2:1 ellipsoidal heads must be not less than specified in § 179.221-1, or not less than that calculated by the following formula:

Where: d = Inside diameter in inches; E = 0.9 welded joint efficiency; except E = 1.0 for seamless heads; P = Minimum required bursting pressure in psig; S = Minimum tensile strength of plate material in p.s.i. as prescribed in AAR Specifications for Tank Cars, appendix M, Table M1; t = Minimum thickness of plate in inches after forming.

(b) The wall thickness after forming of the inner container heads, if flanged and dished, must be not less than specified in § 179.221-1, or not less than that calculated by the following formula:

Where: E = 0.9 welded joint efficiency; except E = 1.0 for seamless heads; L = Main inside radius to which head is dished, measured on concave side in inches; P = Minimum required bursting pressure in psig; S = Minimum tensile strength of plate material in psi as prescribed in AAR Specifications for Tank Cars, appendix M, Table M1 (IBR, see § 171.7 of this subchapter); t = Minimum thickness of plate in inches after forming.

(c) The wall thickness after forming of the cylindrical section and heads of the outer shell must be not less than seven-sixteenths of an inch.

(d) See § 179.220-9 for plate thickness requirements for inner container when divided into compartments.

[Amdt. 179-9, 36 FR 21340, Nov. 6, 1971, as amended at 66 FR 45390, Aug. 28, 2001; 68 FR 75762, Dec. 31, 2003]
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