Rollover Safety and Workable Boundary Suggestion of an Agricultural Platform with Different Attachments

Overturning accidents in agriculture offroad vehicles have been reported annually around the world. Safety structures, such as rollover prevention, have been adopted to mitigate these accidents. Despite this, accidents remain persistent but less fatal. This study investigated the safe driving boundary for a multi-purpose platform with attachments (cargo, pepper harvester). Mathematical formulations of the roll and pitch motions for multi-purpose platforms were created. The critical overturning angle, at five load levels for each machine (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 kg), was determined using Recurdyn, a dynamic analysis software. Regression analysis of each coordinate of the center of gravity was conducted to verify the most critical coordinate against gaining loads. The critical overturning angle for the X and Y directions was found. The cargo and pepper harvester had 28.64 degrees and 21.04 degrees of critical overturning angles in the Y direction, respectively, with a full loading state while climbing a steep hill. The regression model of the X, Y, and Z coordinates of CoG suggested that the most critical coordinate of the CoG against the loads was in the Y coordinate for the pepper harvester and the X direction for cargo. This study could be applied to develop an awareness safety system that warns the operator of the risk of a fatal accident.

Automated summary

This study investigates the critical overturning angle of a multi-purpose platform with attachments under different load conditions, providing scientific basis for the development of a safety system.