49 CFR § 179.200-8 - Tank heads.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t49/s179.200-8"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "49 CFR § 179.200-8 - Tank heads."
title_number: 49
title_name: "Transportation"
section_number: "179.200-8"
section_name: "Tank heads."
chapter_name: "PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION"
subchapter_number: "C"
subchapter_name: "HAZARDOUS MATERIALS REGULATIONS"
part_number: "179"
part_name: "SPECIFICATIONS FOR TANK CARS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "49 U.S.C. 5101-5128; 49 CFR 1.81 and 1.97."
regulatory_source: "29 FR 18995, Dec. 29, 1964, unless otherwise noted. Redesignated at 32 FR 5606, Apr. 5, 1967."
cfr_part: "179"
---


# 179.200-8 Tank heads.

(a) All external tank heads must be an ellipsoid of revolution in which the major axis must equal the diameter of the shell and the minor axis must be one-half the major axis.

(b) Internal compartment tank heads may be 2:1 ellipsoidal, 3:1 ellipsoidal, or flanged and dished to thicknesses as specified in § 179.200-6. Flanged and dished heads must have main inside radius not exceeding 10 feet, and inside knuckle radius must not be less than 3
3/4 inches for steel, alloy steel, or nickel tanks, and not less than 5 inches for aluminum alloy tanks.

[Amdt. 179-10, 36 FR 21350, Nov. 6, 1971]