Drag Optimization of Light Trucks Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

[bondo]

Last summer, I found this Engineering thesis on line which was done by Nathan Williams in September of 2003. He is an officer in the Navy and wrote this thesis for his Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering. He utilized extensive CFD simulations of aerodynamic fluid dynamics and ends up with a fastback style truck cap. He also shows the benefit of a large front spoiler.

It is lengthy but a good read. I wish I would have ran across it before I finished the design of the aero cap I have made.

Here is the link:

http://stinet.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb...fier=ADA418232

Click on the Handle and it will download in Adobe format for reading or printing.

In the thesis, Capt. Williams builds a prototype and road tests it. His numbers prove out the design he arrived at with the CFD simulations. Hope you find it as informative as I did.

Brett

[Stan]

Brett, have you been able to open it recently? All I get is a "Forbidden access" page.

Thanks! Stan

[bondo]

Stan,

I have had that trouble before but eventually you will gain access. Try the following link which is the handle for the document:

http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA418232

Hope this works.

Brett

[Stan]

Thanks Brett, but I can't access that page, either. Can you send the pdf to me as an email attachment?

Thanks!

[Daox]

I saved and uploaded it to my site.

Download Here

[Stan]

Thanks Daox...got it!

I will read and comment later. Right now I have a 310 mile round trip in the Excursion to deliver product to a customer in Central California.

That will get me the baseline on the truck.

[Daox]

Quite interesting. There is an incredible amount of effort and time put into that paper. I just browsed over it, but its quite impressive.

[SVOboy]

Sweet work, definitely,

[Frank Lee]

It has to be far better than that widely circulated water tank test of a Dodge Ram.

[Gone4]

Thanks for the link. This will be good to look over.