Calculating container load accurately is paramount for ensuring traffic safety and complying with legal regulations. This article provides a detailed guide on calculating container load, along with useful information on dimensions and penalties for exceeding weight limits.
What is a Container Truck?
A container truck is a road transport vehicle consisting of a tractor and a container used to transport large volumes of goods over long distances. This type of vehicle plays a vital role in domestic and international freight transport.
Container truck transporting goods on the highway
Standard Container Dimensions
Container dimensions are standardized according to ISO standards to ensure compatibility and convenience in international transport. The most common length is 40 feet, while there are two height variations: 8 feet 6 inches (standard) and 9 feet 6 inches (high cube). Shorter containers should be stacked under 40-foot containers with a safe distance.
Here are the dimensions of some common container types:
- 10-foot Container: Length 2.991m, Width 2.438m, Height 2.591m, Payload 8.8 tons, Empty Weight 1.3 tons.
- 20-foot Container: Length 6.060m, Width 2.440m, Height 2.590m.
- 40-foot Container: Length 12.190m, Width 2.440m, Height 2.590m.
- 45-foot Container: Length 12.190m, Width 2.440m, Height 2.590m.
- 50-foot Container: Length 15.240m, Width 2.438m, Height 2.896m.
Dimensions of different container types
How to Calculate Container Load Capacity
Load Calculation Formula:
Payload = Total Vehicle Weight – Vehicle Curb Weight – Weight of People on Board
Container Axle Load:
- Single Axle: Load ≤ 10 tons/axle.
- Dual Axle Group (two axles):
- Distance between two axle centers (d) < 1 meter: Load ≤ 16 tons.
- 1 meter ≤ d < 1.3 meters: Load ≤ 17 tons.
- d ≥ 1.3 meters: Load ≤ 18 tons.
- Triple Axle Group (three axles):
- d ≤ 1.3 meters: Load ≤ 21 tons.
- d > 1.3 meters: Load ≤ 24 tons.
Total Vehicle Weight:
- Tractor + Trailer/Semi-trailer:
- 3 axles: Total weight ≤ 26 tons.
- 4 axles: Total weight ≤ 34 tons.
- ≥ 5 axles: Total weight ≤ 40 tons.
- Rigid Truck with Trailer/Semi-trailer: Total weight ≤ 45 tons (including both truck and trailer).
Diagram showing axle load calculation
Penalties for Violating Container Load Regulations
Vehicle owners will be fined from VND 800,000 to VND 1,000,000 if:
- Goods are placed on the roof of the container.
- Goods are stacked beyond the edges of the container.
- Goods exceed 10% of the length of the front or rear of the container.
The fine can be up to VND 2,000,000 to VND 3,000,000 if the goods exceed the allowed height.
Police officer inspecting a container truck for load violations
Conclusion
Mastering how to calculate container load and related regulations is crucial to ensure safety and avoid legal risks. Hopefully, this article has provided you with complete and useful information.
