Vehicle

Aerodynamics
By
T.Veeramahantesh Swamy
Professor & HOD, Automobile Engineering

Introduction

The importance of good aerodynamic parameters in the design of

vehicles is being increasingly recognized.
Constant striving for improved economy dictates the importance of
the study of vehicle drag and the importance of vehicle handling
emphasis is the need.
It should be stressed that above the speed of 70 km/hr
aerodynamics exceeds 50 % of the total resistance to motion above
100km/hr it is very important factor.
Aerodynamic forces and moments acting on the vehicle are
balanced by wheel reactions.
For analysis it must be considered vehicle in otion as a mass having
six degrees of freedom.

Aerodynamic Forces insert aero

drag vs rolling resistance

PX = force of air drag in the direction of motion

with the wind along the longitudinal axis (t = 0)
or
PX = force of air drag in the direction of motion if
the wind vector forms angle t with longitudinal
axis.
PZ = aerodynamic lift
PY = cross wind force

Aerodynamic Moments
Suffix of
moment

Moment

Caused by

MY

Pitching

PZ and PX about y-axis

MZ

Yawing

PY about z-axis

MX

Rolling

PY about x-axis

Aerodynamic drag
Aerodynamic drag of a vehicle includes
many factors such as

Profile drag

Induced drag

Skin friction drag

Interference drag (trim mouldings,handles)

Cooling and ventilation drag

Relative values of coefficient aerodynamic

drag value components
Aerodynamic drag components 1985 car model

Value of drag

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Series1

Cxp

Cxi

Cxf

Cxz

Cxc

Cx

0.262

0.03

0.04

0.064

0.053

0.45

Drag components

Px = (Cx r V2 A) / 2
Cx = Cxp + Cxi + Cxf + Cxz + Cxc
Profile drag plays a vital role

Aerodynamic Drag Force

Aerodynamic drag force = PX
PX = CX r V2 A / 2 where
CX = coefficient of aerodynamic drag
r = air density kg.sec2 /m4
V = velocity of the vehicle m/sec
A = cross sectional area of the vehicle
viewed from the front

How to reduce aerodynamic drag?

Aerodynamic
drag
component

% of
total
drag

Caused by

Solution

Profile drag

57.0

Longitudinal section of the vehicle

body

streamlines should be continuous

and separation fo boundary layer
with its attendent vortices should
avoided.

Induced drag

8.0

Vortices formed at the side of the

vehicle and travelling downwind from
it, caused by the aerodynamic lift of
the body.

Aerodynamic lift to be reduced as

much as possible.

Friction drag

10.0

Friction force between the boundary

layer and the body surface.

Surface to be maintained smooth

to have laminar flow of wind.

Interference
drag

15.0

Projecting door handles, mirrors,

aerials, etc. Also projections below
the floor such as axles, tow bars etc.

Items to minimised, shape

optimsed, rounded off.

Cooling and
ventilation drag

10.0

Ducts of the vehicle

Effective design of air ducts.

Achievements of aerodynamic studies.

Insert picture

The development of aerodynamic studies

decreased the drag coefficient values for cars,
buses and coaches initially, but however the
effect of styles demanded by market studies and
three box shapes between 1952 to 1960 made
them to increase a bit.
Only sports cars have resisted this tendeany.

Aerodynamic lift and pitching moment

The vertical component of the resultant of the pressure distribution is called
aerodynamic lift (Pz).

Majority of the vehicles have a profile which has the same effect as an
aerofoil, with the streamlines over the upperpart of the body having a higher
velocity than the streamlines below the vehicle. Insert figure


Aerodynamic lift is applied through the centre of pressure of the body
profile and since this point does not correspond to the centre of gravity, it
creates a pitching moment about the lateral axis.

Aerodynamic lift force PZ = CZ r V2A /2

Pitching moment MY = PZ.e = Cmy rV2A l / 2
where e = distance between the c.p. and c.g. in meters
Cmy = pitching moment coefficient and
l = characteristic length in meters (e.g. wheel base)
The influence of PX on the pitching moment is usally small, as the vertical
seperation between cp and cg is not great.

Effect of aerodynamic lift and pitching

moment

Both these have undesirable effects.

The lift will tend to reduce the pressure between the wheels and
ground, which causes the loss of steering on the front axle and loss
of traction on the rear wheels.
Pitching moment is usually negative, i.e., nose down and this makes
the rear axle lift off the ground and further reduce the available
traction.
As the cross wind angle increases the lift coefficient CZ increases
parabolically.
CZ increases from 0.15 to 0.55 for a bus while it increases from 0.4
to 1.0 for a car with three compartment.
Aerodynamic lift increases from 8 to 10% of total weight for car
speeds moving to around 150kmph and 15 to 25 % of total weight of
sports car speeds moving to around 300kmph.

Side force, yawing moment and rolling

moment

Side force is caused because of the asymmetric flow of wind around the
vehicle body. PY
This side force acts at the centre of pressure and creats moments about the
centre of gravity yawing moment MZ about the z-axis and a rolling moment
MX about the x-axis.
Side force PY = CY r V2A /2
CY increases linearly with increase in wind incident angle t, less for race
cars and more for normal cars.
Yawing moment MZ = PY e = CMZ r V 2 l / 2
CMZ Values increase with the incident angles of wing t, shall be more for
highly streamlined vehicle (low values of CX, CY,CZ)
Therefore a vehicle with poor aerodynamic properties will have a lower
yawing moment coefficient.
The use of stabiliser fins can improve the directional stability.

Side force, yawing moment and rolling

moment
The centre of aerodynamic forces is usually above the centre of
gravity and hence the side force PY creates a rolling moment MX.
about the longitudinal (X) axis.

Rolling moment MX = PY Ze = CMX r V 2 l / 2
Where Ze is the height of centre of thrust above the centre of gravity.
CMX is the rolling moment coefficient..

The rolling moment generated has a considerable effect the weight
distribution on the wheels. Wheel load on the same axle can vary
upto 100 kg. this effect is very dangerous for coaches particularly for
tall vans, where the side force acts a long way above the centre of
gravity.

The only solution shall be to increase the wheel track for such
vehicles.

Location of intakes and outlets

Intakes should be placed in areas of positive pressures

and outlets at negative pressures.
This is very important for rear engine vehicles. The air
inlet should be facing the rear of car. Often side
openings which would be expected to provide air intakes
for the rear engine are actually outlets.
A car designed with sufficient aerodynamic
considerations is costly however the economy can be
improved.
Careful study of these forces and moments result in
vehicles which are much easier and safer.