Agricultural tractor roll over protective structure (ROPS) test using simplified ROPS model

In this study, the feasibility of alternative tractor Roll Over Protective Structure (ROPS) designed to evaluate conditions required for testing was confirmed. In accordance with Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) code 4, the required load energy of the tractor ROPS was determined. First, the tractor ROPS test was performed and a repeated test was performed using a simplified ROPS as an alternative tractor ROPS. The test procedure is first rearward, second lateral, and last forward based on ROPS. The load test device consists of a load cell that measures force and a LVDT that measures deformation. Precision was confirmed by calculating the relative standard deviation of the simplified ROPS repeated test. Accuracy was analyzed by calculating the mean relative error between the mean measured values in the simplified ROPS test and the tractor ROPS test. As a result, the relative standard deviation was less than 2.5% for force and 3.3% for maximum deformation overall, showed the highest precision in lateral load. The mean relative error value for force measured at the lateral load of simplified ROPS was 0.5%, showing the highest accuracy. In the front load test, the mean relative error of maximum deformation was 20.5%, showing the lowest accuracy. The mean relative error (MRE) was high in the forward load test was because of structural factors of the ROPS. The simplified ROPS model is expected to save money and time spent preparing tractors.