Vehicle aerodynamics

• This is a study concerns about the airflow around the

vehicle body.
• At a speed of about 70 km/hr, aerodynamic drag
exceeds 50% of total resistance to motion and above
100 km/hr it is the most important factor.

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Importance of Aerodynamic study
To reduce drag force & achieve maximum speed and
acceleration for the same power output.
If drag force is reduced, fuel consumption of the vehicle
can be reduced to the maximum about 35% of fuel cost
could be reduced by proper streamlining.
Good aerodynamic design gives better appearance and
style.

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• By reducing various forces& moments good stability &
safety can be achieved.
This study helps to provide proper ventilation system.
Helps to understand the dirt flow and exhaust gas flow
patterns.
With proper aerodynamic design, aerodynamic noise could
be reduced, which results in quite running of the vehicle.

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Types of Aerodynamic Drags

Form drag
Lift drag
Surface drag
Interference drag
Internal flow drag

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Form drag
• FORM DRAG is directly affected by basic shape of the
vehicle body as created by body engineer.
• Body shapes that minimize positive aerodynamic forces or
pressure on the front of the vehicle and minimize negative
aerodynamic forces or suction on the rear of the vehicle
will exhibit low form drag.
• It is about 55% of the total drag.

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Lift drag
• Lift Drag is the result of any lift force that is
generated by the moving vehicle.
• The magnitude of the lift force is primarily a function
of the basic body shape.
• The magnitude of the lift and its distribution to the
front and rear wheels is a function of the ground
clearance, the contours of the body and underbody,
and the angle of attack of the body to the air.
• It is about 7% of the total drag.

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Surface drag

• Surface Drag is a frictional resistance that results from air passing

tangentially along the body.
• The velocity of air produced a thin layer called the boundary layer
next to the vehicle body, which slows the velocity of air due to
tangential friction forces.
• The viscous friction losses in the boundary layer and the drag on
small surface imperfections within this layer are considered as
surface drag.
• It is a small part of the total aerodynamic drag i.e., about 9%.

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 Interference drag

• Interference Drag is caused by the projection and

protuberances that exist on the basic body.
• The exterior vehicle body projections, such as hood
ornament, windshield wipers, radio aerial, rearview mirror,
air scoop, roof pillars, rain gutters, all contribute to the total
interference drag.
• The various component projecting under the vehicle, such
as engine pan, the suspension arms, exhaust system and
rear suspension also contribute to the interference drag.
• It is about 17% of the total drag.

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Internal flow drag
• Internal Flow Drag is the sum of all energy losses produced when
air passes into, through, and out of all vehicle systems requiring or
permitting air flow.
• The engine cooling flow (which is the primary internal flow
component) plus passenger ventilation flow and any internal flow
required to cool brakes or other mechanical components
contribute to internal flow drag.
• It is about 12% of the total drag.

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Aerodynamic Forces & Moments

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Direction Force moment

Longitudinal(x-axis) Drag (PX ) Rolling moment (due to

side force) MX

Lateral(y-axis) Side force(PY) Pitching moment(due to

lift force) MY

Vertical(z-axis) Lift (PZ) Yawing moment ( due to

side force) MZ

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PX = Force of air drag in the direction of motion
with wind along longitudinal axis.
PY = Side wind force or Cross-wind force.
PZ = Lift force.
MX = Rolling moment about longitudinal axis
caused by the force PY.
MY = Pitching moment about lateral axis caused
by force PZ.
MZ = Yawing moment about vertical axis caused
by the force PY.

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CX = Dimensionless drag coefficient
CY = Dimensionless cross wind force coefficient
CZ = Dimensionless lift coefficient
ρ = Air density
V = Velocity of the vehicle
A = cross-sectional area of the vehicle viewed from the
front.
e = distance between centre of gravity and centre of
pressure.
Ze = height of the centre of thrust above the centre of
gravity
L = Characteristic length ( wheel base)

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Aerodynamic Lift & Pitching Moment
Vertical component of the resultant of the pressure
distribution – Lift.
General vehicle profile – same effect as aerofoil.
Streamline body – higher velocity at the upper part & lower
velocity at below the vehicle.
Aerodynamic lift is applied through the center of pressure
of the body profile and, since this point does not
correspond with the centre of gravity, it creates a pitching
movement about the lateral axis.
Influence of force Px on Pitching moment is usually small,
as the vertical separation between CG & CP is not great.

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Both Lift & Pitching moment have undesirable effects.
Lift tend to reduce the pressure between wheels and ground.
Loss of steering on the front wheels
Loss of traction on the rear axle.
Pitching moment is usually negative i.e nose down.
Rear axle is lifted off the ground further loss on traction.

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Effect of fairing
• If a fairing is used to cover the cockpit there will be an increase in both lift and
pitching moment.
• However if a fairing is not used there will be an advantageous effect on lift and
pitching movement but increase in the drag coefficient CX
• With the fairing fitted, the large area of negative pressure is toward the rear of the
car.
• It is this negative pressure which causes the increase in lift and negative pitching
moment.

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Effect of cross wind

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• It indicating that the lift coefficient increases parabolically with
the increase in the wind angle, up to two or three times its
value when there is no side wind.

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Effect of vehicle profile

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• Three box construction has the greatest spread of lift
coefficients (from 0.4 to 1.0)
• Flat fronted type of vehicle has the smallest range (0.15 to 0.55)

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• Saloon cars can reach a value of 100 kg, or 8 to 10 per cent of
the total weight.
• Sports or racing cars the lift can reach values of 130 kg, which
is 15 to 25 per cent of the total weight.

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Side Force, yawing Moment and Rolling moment

Side force is formed by asymmetric flow round the vehicle body

when the wind angle is not equal to zero.
This force acts at CP & creates moment about CG-Yawing
moment(MZ)about Z-axis and rolling moment(Mx) about the X
axis
It try to turn the vehicle away from the direction of motion-loss
of directional control.

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• Fig 1 and 2 shows the pressure distribution for two wind angles
around two different vehicles, measured at a constant height from the
ground.

• The diagrams clearly shows that the maximum change in pressure

occurs at the front and rear of the vehicle(causing large changes in
the yawing moment)

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FIG:1

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FIG:2

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FIG:3

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• Values of the cross wind coefficient CY are shows in above fig 3. for
different vehicle body shapes.
• The lowest values of the cross wind force coefficient are obtained
with the streamlined bodies of sports cars.
• Saloons, vans, the pseudo-aerodynamic vehicles(styles with fore
and aft projection wings)
• And lastly, old models with box-like bodies have increasingly large
values.

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FIG:4

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• The above fig 4 gives values of Cmz Obtained from wind tunnel
tests.
• It is worthy of note that vehicle bodies with good aerodynamic
direct force coefficients (low values of Cx CY and CZ ) have the
largest values of Cmz

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• The vehicle with poor aerodynamic properties will have a better(
that is, lower) yawing moment coefficient.
• A side wind will produce a yawing moment tending to turn the
vehicle away from the direction of the motion.

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FIG:5

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FIG:6

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• The use of stabilisers or fins at the rear of the vehicle gives very
good results. (Fig 5 and 6)
• Without a stabiliser (curve a) the vehicle is unstable.
• Single stabiliser (curve b) reduces the yawing moment
coefficient and, at large cross wind angles, actually provides a
stable condition.

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• The center of the aerodynamic forces is usually above the
center of gravity so that the cross wind force PY will produce a
rolling moment Mx about longitudinal axis.

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• Rolling moment generated by cross winds has a sizeable effect on the
weight distribution on the wheels.

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FIG:7

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• Fig 7 shows that the wheel load on the same axle can vary by
up to 100kg.
• This effect is dangerous for coaches and particularly for tall
vans, where the side force acts a long way above the center of
gravity.
• The only real solution here is an increase in wheel track

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Low drag cars
• Optimization
• Modification of Fore body
• Modification of Windshield
• Modification of Roof
• Modification of Vehicle rear end
• Add on device
• AB Inito for low drag

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Modification of Fore body

• Initial shape is designated as “forebody1”.

• Bar graph shows the percentage of drag reduction.
• A small correction on front edge alone reduced the drag by 6%.
• Front end shapes 3,4&5 represent equal variant.
• They provide an improvement of 10%.
• Shape 6 gives a reduction of 14%.

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Modification of Windshield

• Flow separation occurs at the Cowl.

• Reattachment occurs at windshield.
• Point of separation S is displaced towards front.
• Point of reattachment towards rear.
• If windshield angle γ becomes steeper.

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• Figures show the measurement made on research automobiles.
• Direct influence of Windshield inclination on drag is only moderate.
• Windshield inclination of more than 60deg are not practical because
of light diffusion.
• Increased solar heating of the passenger compartment.

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• The inclination of the engine hood also has an effect upon the drag.
• Once the slope is steep enough to keep the flow attached, further
sloping does not reduce drag any further.
• The optimum slope angle α depends on the leading edge radius and
on the windscreen rake.

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Modification of Roof

• Roofs are designed with convex shape to ensure rigidity.

• For stylistic reasons it is kept minimum
• Increased convexity reduce drag co-eff.
• However frontal area is increased which increases drag.
• However original roof is kept constant, front & rear windows must be
curved into the roof for reducing drag co-eff.

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Modification of Vehicle rear end

• Pressure recovery is obtained by tapering the bottom upwards.

• Long diffuser gives notable reduction with reduced angle β.
• However smooth underside must be assured.
• Lift at the rear axle is also reduced by long diffuser.

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Add on device

• When there is a gentle rear end body profile curvature change, it will
be accompanied with a relatively fast but smooth streamline air flow
over this region which does not separate from the upper surface.
• This results in lower local pressures which tend to exert a lift force (
upward suction) at the rear end of the car.

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• A lip or small aerofoil spoiler attached to the rear end of the car boot
interrupts the smooth streamline air flow thereby raising the upper
surface local air pressure which effectively increase the downward
force known as negative lift..
• A typical relationship between rear lift, front lift and drag coefficients
relative to the spoiler lip height is shown in graph.

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