The assessment of wind tunnel testing techniques for ground vehicles in cross winds

Abstract

This paper sets out the various types of wind induced problems experienced by ground vehicles, and discusses the nature of the experimental data required for appropriate vehicle safety assessments to be made. In particular the adequacy of various types of wind tunnel testing to obtain aerodynamic data is considered. By means of a correlation of experimental results and various theoretical approaches the requirements for adequate wind tunnel testing become apparent. It is concluded that to obtain the data required for wind induced suspension effects to be assessed and also for vehicle force histories to be determined from wind speed histories, it is necessary, except at low crosswind angles, to fully model both the upstream atmospheric turbulence simulation may be used together with some simulation of model motion.