Course Details

1. Use flow similarity and non-dimensional coefficients in the aerodynamic analysis of a vehicle.
2. Explain the forces and moments acting on a vehicle and their relation to the pressure and shear stress distribution.
3. Use potential flow analysis to describe the pressure distribution around a vehicle.
4. Consider the effects of boundary layers, turbulence and flow separation on the aerodynamic forces.
5. Evaluate and appraise the aerodynamic shape of a vehicle and make a suggestion of an improved design.

Review: Hydrostatics, Control Volume, Mass/Momentum/Energy Conservation, Navier-Stokes equations.

Dimensional Analysis: Use of flow similarity and non-dimensional coefficients in vehicle performance.

Forces and moments acting on a vehicle: Explain the nature of drag, lift, side forces and pitching, rolling, yawing moments.

Inviscid flow: Flow around a vehicle and determination of the pressure distribution.

Viscous effects: The effects of boundary layers, turbulence and flow separation on aerodynamic forces and on the flow pattern around different engine parts.

The influence of aerodynamics on vehicle design.

• Donald F. Young, Theodore H. Okiishi, Bruce Roy Munson, Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics, John Wiley & Sons, 4th edition, 2002
• John D. Anderson, Fundamentals of Aerodynamics, McGraw-Hill Education, 2001
• Thomas D. Gillespie, Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics, Society of Automotive Engineers Inc

• R. H. Barnard, Road Vehicle Aerodynamic Design, MechAero Publishing, 2001
• W-H Hucho, Aerodynamics of Road Vehicles, SAE International 1998
• Joseph Katz, Race Car Aerodynamics, Bentley Publishers, 2006

The taught part of course is delivered to the students by means of lectures, conducted with the help of both computer presentations and traditional means. Practical examples and exercises are included in the lectures to enhance the material learning process. Lecture notes and presentations are available through the web for students to use in combination with the textbooks.