Finite element analysis for safety evaluation of operator protection structure in hydraulic excavator

초록

A hydraulic excavator is a heavy construction machinery, and it is generally used to select a work device according to the type and purpose of the work. Operators are exposed to the harsh working conditions of construction and mining. The rollover protection structure(ROPS) is a key component of heavy machinery that ensures the safety of the operators from serious injuries caused by vehicle rollovers. Therefore, it is important to design an efficient ROPS in order to ensure such safety. In this study, the ROPS simulation model is designed to reduce time and cost as compared to the tests. The nonlinear analysis of ROPS is performed by using ABAQUS in order to evaluate the safety performance according to ISO standards. The accuracy of the finite element model is verified by comparing the test results. The simulation results show that a similar tendency with the test results and the errors remain under 5 %. The validated finite element model is expected to save time and cost in the design process through the reduction of the number of safety evaluation tests of ROPS. Copyright © 2019 KSAE.

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