Abstract
This paper presents a comprehensive stress analysis of an automated lawn mowing and raking unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) designed for residential and commercial lawn maintenance applications. The compact UGV (433 mm × 1096 mm × 357 mm) features an integrated cutting arm with a 400 RPM DC motor-driven cutter system and a flexible rake arm for debris collection. Structural analysis was performed on the A36 steel frame and critical components under three loading scenarios: static loading (15 kg), cutting operation (25 N force), and impact loading (50 N). Finite element analysis and analytical calculations revealed maximum stresses of 15.3 MPa at the rake arm pivot, 2.68 MPa at the bolt hole, and 1.17 MPa at the pivot bolt under rake extension conditions. All calculated safety factors exceeded minimum design requirements (bolt: 547.0, arm: 93.3, pivot: 16.3), confirming structural adequacy. The frame design utilizing 25×25 mm square tubing with 1.5 mm wall thickness demonstrated sufficient rigidity while maintaining a lightweight structure. Results indicate the design meets safety standards for automated lawn care operations with significant structural margins.
Keywords
Unmanned Ground Vehicle, Stress Analysis, Automated Lawn Mower, Structural Design, Safety Factor Analysis
How to Cite:
Prof. Alexander N. Okpala, Engr. Abraham A. Kokoro , STRESS ANALYSIS OF AN UNMANNED GROUND VEHICLE WITH INTEGRATED CUTTING AND RAKING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATED LAWN MAINTENANCE , Volume 11 , Issue 11, November 2025, EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) ,