@Article{fdmp.2020.07933,
AUTHOR = {D. O. Redchyts, E. A. Shkvar, S. V. Moiseienko},
TITLE = {Computational Simulation of Turbulent Flow Around Tractor-Trailers},
JOURNAL = {Fluid Dynamics \& Materials Processing},
VOLUME = {16},
YEAR = {2020},
NUMBER = {1},
PAGES = {91--103},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/fdmp/v16n1/38336},
ISSN = {1555-2578},
ABSTRACT = {A method to evaluate the properties of turbulent flow in proximity to the vehicle 
and close to the ground surface has been elaborated. Numerical simulations have been 
performed on the basis of the Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations 
(URANS) written with respect to an arbitrary curvilinear coordinate system. These 
equations have been solved using the Spalart-Allmaras differential one-parametric 
turbulence model. The method of artificial compressibility has been used to improve the 
coupling of pressure and velocity in the framework of a finite volume approach. Time-averaged distributions of pressure fields, velocity components, streamlines in the entire area 
and near the tractor-trailer, as well as integral and distributed characteristic parameters 
(such as coefficients of pressure, friction and drag force) are presented. According to our 
results, the turbulent flow accelerates in the area of the tractor cabin and in the gap between 
surfaces. Above the driver’s cabin, a pressure drop occurs due to a sharp acceleration of 
flow in this area. Downstream, pressure is restored and becomes almost constant in 
proximity to the edge of the trailer. The dimensions of the separation area exceed the length 
of the transport system several times. Though agreement with experimental results is 
relatively limited due to the two-dimensional nature of the numerical simulations, the 
present approach succeeds in identifying the main physical effects involved in the 
considered dynamics. It might be used in future studies for initial approximate assessments 
of the influence of the vehicle shape on its aerodynamic characteristics.},
DOI = {10.32604/fdmp.2020.07933}
}