Development of novel vehicle design modelling functions for quantifying vehicles’ shapes.

Sendanayake, Isuru; Asim, Taimoor; Mishra, Rakesh

Abstract

The inland goods transportation sector has become dominant by high fuel consuming heavy goods vehicles, which are more commonly known as truck-trailer units. Manufacturers have been trying to design aerodynamically efficient truck-trailer units to reduce ever increasing fuel costs. The scope for streamlining the shape of the truck-trailer unit is severely limited due to legally imposed dimensional restrictions. The development of truck-trailer prototypes is both time consuming and costly. Hence, in the present study, a novel mathematical model has been developed to generate the shape of a truck-trailer units. Furthermore, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) based techniques have been employed to analyse the aerodynamic performance of the truck–trailer unit. It has been noticed that the developed vehicle modelling functions are accurate, inexpensive, user-friendly and robust. These vehicle modelling functions are expected to aid the truck-trailer manufacturers for optimising vehicle shapes.

Citation

SENDANAYAKE, I., ASIM, T. and MISHRA, R. 2017. Development of novel vehicle design modelling functions for quantifying vehicles' shapes. International journal of research, science, technology and management: proceedings of 2017 International conference mechanical, energy and power systems (ICMEPS 2017), 20-21 January 2017, Bhopal, India [online], 7(1), pages 26-31. Available from: http://ijrstm.net/?ddownload=517

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (published)
• Conference Name: 2017 International conference mechanical, energy and power systems (ICMEPS 2017)
• Acceptance Date: Jan 20, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Apr 30, 2017
• Publication Date: Apr 30, 2017
• Deposit Date: Mar 9, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 9, 2020
• Journal: International journal of research, science, technology and management
• Print ISSN: 2455-2240
• Electronic ISSN: 2455-2240
• Publisher: IJRSTM Journal (International Journal of Research, Science, Technology and Management)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 7
• Issue: 1
• Keywords: Computational fluid dynamics (CFD); Drag force; Shape functions; Truck-trailer; Static pressure; Heavy goods vehicles
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/872289
• Publisher URL: https://web.archive.org/web/20180425132450/http://ijrstm.net/?ddownload=517