Examination of the Effect of Wind on Vehicle Drag Coefficient from Aerodynamics Point of View

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to investigate the wind effect on vehicle aerodynamic properties. Two-dimensional Ahmed body is examined with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method. During the analysis, two different studies were carried out. First, the simplified vehicle shape was examined in standing position, only the force from the wind velocity affected the body. The drag coefficient change was examined in case of different wind velocities and angles of attack. After that, the effect of wind while driving was investigated. The body was defined as a moving object and at another inlet the wind was defined. Different travelling and wind velocities with different angles of attack were studied. Based on the results of the simulations, a comprehensive impact of the wind can be measured on the drag coefficient. This proves that the wind has a measurable effect on vehicle aerodynamic properties and must be taken into account when investigating the effect of weather conditions on vehicle aerodynamic properties.