Aerodynamic Performance of the Utility Truck with the Next-Generation Morphing Structures: Computations and Wind Tunnel Testing

Advanced active aerodynamics have been on the drawing boards for vehicles for decades, with far-out concepts for actual morphing surfaces that behave much like aerodynamic control surfaces. Towards this goal, numerical and experimental aerodynamic studies are carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the morphing structures attached to a generic ground vehicle (Scaled Ahmed Body) and a utility truck. This study investigates the application of morphing structures designed to adapt to changing flow conditions on utility trucks to manage and optimize aerodynamic characteristics. Furthermore, the adaptive morphing structures dynamically adjust their configurations to manage the aerodynamic forces and moments depending on the meteorological conditions, thereby enhancing the overall stability and safety of the truck. Two smart morphing structures are considered, (i) the 5- degree of freedom (DOF) morphable boom equipment and (ii) the morphing device. First, an experimental study of a scaled-up Ahmed Body that is representative of a car or light truck was conducted at the Wall of Wind (WOW) large-scale testing facility and then compared to validate the computational model for ground vehicle aerodynamics. Afterward, we investigated the external aerodynamics of the utility truck with the morphing structures using the validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The results demonstrate the significant impact of the morphing structures on the aerodynamic performance of the utility truck. The aerodynamic force and moment coefficients at various sideslip angles are presented in this paper.