c09FlowoverImmersedBodies.

qxd 9/28/10 10:29 AM Page 354

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354 Chapter 9 ■ Flow over Immersed Bodies

and three-dimensional, natural and man-made objects. Recall that a drag coefficient of unity
is equivalent to the drag produced by the dynamic pressure acting on an area of size A.
That is, d  12␳U2ACD  12␳U2A if CD  1. Typical nonstreamlined objects have drag coef-
ficients on this order.

Drag coefficient
Reference area Reynolds number

Shape A CD = ________ Re = ρ UD/μ
1 ρU2A
__
(b = length)
2
V9.13 Drag on a
truck D R/D CD
0 2.2

ww
Square rod A = bD Re = 105
with rounded 0.02 2.0
R
corners 0.17 1.2
0.33 1.0

w.E R D
Rounded
equilateral
triangle
A = bD
R/D

0
0.02
1.4
1.2
CD

2.1
2.0
Re = 105

a
0.08 1.3 1.9
0.25 1.1 1.3

D shell
syE
Semicircular
A = bD
2.3
1.1
Re = 2 × 104

ngi 2.15

nee
Semicircular
D A = bD 1.15 Re > 104
cylinder

D T-beam A = bD

r 1.80
1.65

ing
Re > 104

D
I-beam

Angle
A = bD

A = bD
2.05

1.98
1.82
Re > 104

Re > 104
. net
Hexagon A = bD 1.0 Re > 104
D

/D CD
 < 0.1 1.9
0.5 2.5
A = bD 0.65 2.9 Re = 105
D Rectangle
1.0 2.2
2.0 1.6
3.0 1.3

F I G U R E 9.19 Typical drag coefficients for regular two-dimensional

objects (Refs. 4 and 5).

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c09FlowoverImmersedBodies.qxd 9/28/10 10:29 AM Page 355

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9.3 Drag 355

Reference area Drag coefficient Reynolds number

Shape
A CD Re = ρ UD/μ

π
Solid A = __ D2 1.17
Re > 104
D hemisphere 4 0.42

ww D
Hollow
hemisphere
π
A = __ D2
4
1.42
0.38
Re > 104

w.E D Thin disk

π
A = __ D2
4
1.1 Re > 103

a 

syE D
Circular
rod π
A = __ D2
/D
0.5
1.0
CD
1.1
0.93 Re > 105

ngi
parallel 4
2.0 0.83
to flow
4.0 0.85

θ D Cone
π
A = __ D2
4 nee
θ , degrees
10
30
CD
0.30
0.55 Re > 104

r
60 0.80

ing
90 1.15

D
D Cube A = D2 1.05

.
Re > 104

net
Cube A = D2 0.80 Re > 104

π
D A = __ D2 0.04 Re > 105
4

Streamlined
body

F I G U R E 9.20 Typical drag coefficients for regular three-

dimensional objects (Ref. 4).

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c09FlowoverImmersedBodies.qxd 9/28/10 10:29 AM Page 356

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356 Chapter 9 ■ Flow over Immersed Bodies

Drag coefficient
Shape Reference area CD

Frontal area
D π 1.4
Parachute A = __ D2
4

Porosity 0 0.2 0.5

D Porous Frontal area
parabolic π 1.42 1.20 0.82
A = __ D2
dish 4 0.95 0.90 0.80
Porosity = open area/total area

Standing CD A = 9 ft2
Average
CD A = 6 ft2

ww person Sitting
Crouching CD A = 2.5 ft2

/D CD

w.E l
D Fluttering
flag
A = D 1
2
3
0.07
0.12
0.15

a Empire

syE
State Building
Frontal area 1.4

Six-car passenger train

ngi
Frontal area 1.8

Bikes

Upright commuter A = 5.5 ft2 nee 1.1

Racing

Drafting
A = 3.9 ft2

A = 3.9 ft2
r 0.88

0.50 ing
Streamlined

Tractor-trailor tucks

Standard
A = 5.0 ft2

Frontal area
0.12

0.96
. net
Fairing

With fairing Frontal area 0.76

Gap seal
With
fairing and Frontal area 0.70
gap seal
Tree
U = 10 m/s 0.43
U Frontal area
U = 20 m/s 0.26
U = 30 m/s 0.20
V9.14 Automobile
streamlining 0.0036 at Re = 6 × 106
Dolphin Wetted area
(flat plate has CDf = 0.0031)

Large Frontal area 0.40

birds

F I G U R E 9.21 Typical drag coefficients for objects of interest (Refs.

4, 5, 11, and 14).

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