Certification tests of a protective device such as ROPS to ensure safe usage of tractors

¹ South Ural State Agrarian University, Applied Mechanics Department, Chelyabinsk, Russia 454080
² South Ural State University, Wheeled and Caterpillar Vehicles Department, Chelyabinsk, Russia 454080

^* Corresponding author: starfruitworks@gmail.com

Abstract

According to the safety requirements, all protective devices of tractor units are subject to obligatory certification. One of the main means of protecting the operator during overturning is ROPS system. In accordance with GOST (National State Standard), a performance check of ROPS protective structures is carried out on basis of full-scale tests. The purpose of the presented study is to develop the experimental procedure and to obtain the performance check result of ROPS protective device of the tractor unit’s cabin using B10 bulldozer manufactured by the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant as an example. The tests were carried out at the Ural Test Center NATI. For this purpose, a special bedplate was used, allowing to test the protective cabins of tractors with the total mass of up to 110 tons. The hydraulic system of the bedplate allowed to carry out the process of lateral loading of ROPS step by step, where each step corresponded to the 10 mm structure deformation. The applied load and structure deformation were recorded at each step. The energy accumulated by the structure was calculated as the area under the stress-strain curve. The energy U = 40867 J, which was required according to GOST, was accumulated during lateral deformation Δ = 270 mm. The force constituted Fy = 243 kN. After removing the lateral load, the structure was subjected to the vertical static and longitudinal loading. During the whole experiment of ROPS protective device, repairs, deformation corrections and adjustments were not allowed. The test results of ROPS structure of B10 bulldozer cabin showed compliance with the GOST safety requirements. During ROPS deformation, penetration of the protective structure elements into the driver’s limited zone was not observed.