THE TOPPLING OF AN IRRIGATION CENTER PIVOT SUBMITTED TO WIND ACTION EFFECTS

This research aims to improve the study about the stability of truss structures used in pivotirrigation, widely used due to the growing demand for food production, when submittedto wind effects. Specifically, it aims to verify the maximum wind speed supported by anirrigation center pivot structure when submitted to the load effects caused by wind gustsperpendicular to the equipment. In order to determine these forces and their effects on theirrigation equipment, computational numerical investigations were carried out using finiteelement bar models validated by measuring the natural frequency of the equipment in thefield. A span was designed based on the existing standards in Brazil and the dynamicresponse of the structure was examined under the effects of wind gusts. Models of theBrazilian standard NBR 6123/88 for structures submitted to wind effects were used inthis study. The studied irrigation equipment supports wind gusts of up to 115 km/h appliedperpendicularly, with a duration of 3 s, before generating toppling.