Integration of Computational Methods into Automotive Wind Tunnel Testing

The aerodynamics of a generic, enclosed-wheel racing-car shape without wheels was investigated numerically and was compared with one-quarter scale wind-tunnel data. Because both methods lack perfection in simulating actual road conditions, a complementary application of these methods was studied. The computations served for correcting the high-blockage wind-tunnel results and provided detailed pressure data which improved the physical understanding of the flow field. The experimental data was used here mainly to provide information on the location of flow-separation lines and on the aerodynamic loads; these in turn were used to validate and to calibrate the computations.

This combined computational/experimental approach, with the computations being used primarily to study attached now conditions, can reduce wind-tunnel experimental program length and allow for additional testing of more complex problems such as flow separation.