Abstract
The purpose of this study is to develop improved boom structures with reliable fatigue strength of weldment and lower production cost. For that purpose, multi-body dynamic analysis was performed to evaluate forces acting on arm & boom cylinders and joints of boom structure during operation of an excavator for three working postures, then stress analysis was made to investigate stress distribution around diaphragms at the bottom plate of boom structures which was known to be susceptible to fatigue failures of welded joints, and finally boom structures with optimum arrangement of diaphragms was proposed. This work mainly consists of the following two parts: part 1 focuses on multi-body dynamic analysis of excavators during operation and part 2 includes evaluations of fatigue strength of welded joints for modified boom structures.