Inelastic behaviour and methods of energy absorption displayed by Rollover Protective Structures

During extreme situations, structures will be subjected to loading conditions that are both random and variable. These loadings commonly arise from events such as earthquakes, explosions and impacts and typically cause the structure to deform in a manner that may endanger the lives of its occupants or users. In order to reduce these adverse effects and improve the overall performance of the structure, it is necessary for the structure to absorb a certain amount of the input energy. This method of energy absorption is typically done through the formation of localised yield points called plastic hinges. The formation and location of these hinges and modes of failure if any, are vital to the structure’s performance and must be achieved in a manner that ensures its overall stability. With these views in mind, research is underway to develop a generic energy dissipating model capable of predicting the response of a variety of structural types to these loading conditions. This study will focus primarily on the performance of rollover protective structures (ROPS) used by heavy vehicles in the rural and mining industry. This application will utilise non-linear finite element modelling techniques to study the inelastic performance of these types of structures under their associated loading conditions. Finite element analysis will be supplemented by limited experimental testing which will enable calibration and verification of the analytical results. This paper will focus on the energy dissipation and performance of ROPS and describe the main findings of this research project to date.