Unsteady Aerodynamics Simulation of a Heavy-Duty Truck in Wind Gusts Coupled With Vehicle Motion Analysis in Six Degrees of Freedom Available to Purchase

A one-way coupled analysis was used to investigate both the unsteady aerodynamic forces on a simplified heavy-duty truck in strong wind gusts and their effects on its motion. The vehicle model for the dynamics simulation was extended to six degrees of freedom (6DoF). First, a transitional aerodynamics simulation was conducted for the simplified truck with a fixed vehicle attitude but subject to a sudden crosswind. Based on the visualized results of this aerodynamics simulation, flow phenomena generating transitional aerodynamic forces and moments are discussed, especially those acting in the vertical direction. While the truck was running into the crosswind region, the growth and breakdown of a large-scale vortex above the container generated a transitional behavior of aerodynamic lift and pitching moment. Next, time series of the six components of the aerodynamic forces and moments were input into the vehicle dynamics simulation. By comparing the results with those of a quasi-steady aerodynamics simulation, the effect of transitional aerodynamics on vertical motions was clarified, with the largest difference found in a rolling motion. Moreover, the effect of considering 6DoF was investigated by also conducting the vehicle dynamics simulation with 3DoF. The consideration of dynamics in the vertical direction changed the estimation of tire forces, which were related to a vertical load on the tire. Finally, the effects of considering 6DoF were also identified for horizontal motions.