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Design and analysis of a modified mule drawn cart

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dc.contributor.author Mezgebu, Kebede Gizaw
dc.date.accessioned 2025-03-10T06:31:16Z
dc.date.available 2025-03-10T06:31:16Z
dc.date.issued 2024-09
dc.identifier.uri http://ir.bdu.edu.et/handle/123456789/16581
dc.description.abstract For small-scale farmers living far from main roads, effective transportation is essential for promoting economic and social development. It provides access to agricultural inputs, facilitates the marketing of products, and reduces time and effort. This paper aims to design and analyze a modified mule cart suitable for Ethiopian conditions. In Ethiopia, existing carts are often heavy and costly, which does not align well with local working conditions. To address this, two types of mule carts were designed: a two-wheel cart with a carrying capacity of 6 quintals and a four-wheel cart with a carrying capacity of 10 quintals. Both designs incorporate modifications to improve mass and performance, using analytical and numerical methods (Finite Element Analysis). These mule carts are simple and effective for transporting goods up to a 10° incline. The two-wheel cart is pulled by a single mule, while the four-wheel cart can be pulled by either a single mule or a pair, providing flexibility. A key focus during the design process was mass reduction and simplicity to minimize overall weight and cost. The designed two-wheel cart weighs 122.6 kg, and the four-wheel cart weighs 178 kg. The ratio of useful load to cart mass was used for comparison with existing designs. The ratios for the two-wheel and four-wheel carts are 4.9 and 5.6, respectively, which are higher than those of existing models. The estimated cost of the modified twowheel cart is 24,029 birr, and the four-wheel cart costs 36,682 birr, making them economical options. Key words: Four-wheel cart; Two-wheel cart; Mass reduction; Modified design; Useful load to cart mass ratio. en_US
dc.language.iso en_US en_US
dc.subject Mechanical and Industrial Engineering en_US
dc.title Design and analysis of a modified mule drawn cart en_US
dc.type Thesis en_US


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