Experimental and Numerical Study of the Jib Connection Frame of a Wheeled Crane

This study focuses on structural damage to the connecting frame of a wheeled crane lifting arm, with the connecting frame between the main boom and the fixed jib of a crane as the research object. Research was systematically conducted on the stress feature extraction and failure mechanism under the loading condition. First, the beam and solid finite element model of the connecting frame were constructed, and the ultimate load-carrying capacity and failure mode of the structure were determined using the finite element method, according to which the strain gauge array test program was designed. Subsequently, two sets of composite load failure tests were carried out on the connecting frame specimens, and the strain response history of the key nodes was recorded. A comparison between the experimental data and the finite element analysis results shows that the two are highly consistent in terms of failure load and damage location, revealing the mechanical characteristics of the transverse connection interface as a new type of failure-sensitive region. Moreover, in this study, we constructed a theoretical calculation model of the structure, which provides a reliable engineering application method for the lightweight design of crane connecting frames and for checking the strength of similar short-lifting-arm structures.