Q&A ยท 1:26:06-1:26:26

Would extra bulkheads have made Titanic too heavy?

The extra mass was real, but cargo-space and cost penalties mattered more than any insurmountable engineering limit.

Question

How much weight would additional watertight bulkheads have added?

Short answer

They would have added noticeable weight, but not enough to create a dramatic design problem.

Notes

Additional watertight bulkheads would have added appreciable mass without creating a dramatic design obstacle. The larger commercial penalty lay in extra structure and subdivided cargo spaces, which reduced open room and raised cost. These engineering and business tradeoffs were within the reach of 1912 shipbuilding. The available technology could support the safety work even though companies had reasons to resist its cost.