Solutions to Drag
All of the research presented on this web project is but a fraction of what is actually going on in this area of research. Already new ideas to reduce drag have proven quite effective. Some examples are boat tail flaps for the trailer and the trailer tractor gap as well as convoy mass transit approaches. See below. (all Bib. #3)
As you can see from the above, and below, pictures the addition of boat tail plates would greatly reduce drag. The effects are graphed below.
Another great idea is to have two trucks travel in a row so that the rear trailer drag is lessened on the truck in the front as seen below.
Conclusion
This web project is intended to give the reader a basic grasp of the intriguing research going on in Heavy Vehicle Aerodynamic Drag. Having just read the previous pages I hope you share my enthusiasm for what those hard working Scientists are accomplishing out there. I really encourage you to follow the links on the bibliography page to gain a better understanding of what is happening in this area. In review, I
- Provided Motivation for the subject
- Talked about the Basic Physics of Drag
- Mentioned what computational models are being used to conduct research in this area
- Presented what solutions the experts have come up with
Thank you for your time! Hope you enjoyed it.