Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2002

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Committee Chair

Kenneth H. Means.

Abstract

AutoROPS have been developed recently under the sponsorship of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in collaboration with the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at West Virginia University. Unfortunately, numerous tractors' operators have removed the factory ROPS from the Tractors because of the lack of housing area on the tractor, which may result in frequent collision between the ROPS and low-hanging tree branches.;One main purpose of this work was to study the base of the second generation AutoROPS, to insure that the base can withstand the impact loads associated with the rollover of any farm tractor. Another purpose of the investigation is to design a new generation of the AutoROPS that is smaller and cost effective. Using ANSYS software for Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulated the new design. The results generated through this investigation satisfy the SAE standard requirements for all the expected applied loads.

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