Baffles, Bulkheads & Tank Construction
20 free questions, part of the Tanker (N) Endorsement CDL practice test
Baffles are partial walls inside a tank that slow down forward and backward surge, but they do nothing to stop side-to-side rollover forces, so a baffled tank can still roll over in a hard turn. Bulkheads are full, solid walls that split the tank into separate sealed compartments, and un-baffled "smooth bore" tanks are used for things like milk because baffles are hard to clean out. ELDT.io's free bank has 20 practice questions on this distinction.
This topic has 20 questions, split into 2 tests of 10-10 questions each:
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What's the difference between a baffle and a bulkhead?
A baffle is a partial wall with openings that lets liquid pass through slowly, cutting down surge while the compartment still holds one connected volume of cargo. A bulkhead is a full, solid wall that completely separates the tank into distinct compartments, each loaded and unloaded on its own.
Why don't baffles prevent rollover?
Baffles only slow the forward and backward movement of liquid. They do nothing about the side-to-side weight shift that happens in a turn, so a baffled tank can still roll over if you take a curve too fast.