Finite element-based safety prediction for hydraulic excavator rollover protective structure and experimental validation

Tractor and earth-moving machine rollover has become one of the leading causes of occupational death in the agricultural/constructional industry. Therefore, these machines need proper protective structures to protect operators. In this study, explicit finite element (FE) analysis is adapted to predict the performance of rollover protective structure (ROPS) of a hydraulic excavator in the early design stage based on ISO 12117-2. The virtual test...