The Significance of Roll on the Dynamics of Ground Vehicles Subjected to Crosswind Gusts by Two-Way Coupled Simulation of Aero- and Vehicle Dynamics

Abstract

Improvements in vehicle technologies in recent decades enable the use of lighter materials and the development of control systems for autonomous vehicles. However, these improvements lead to a need for better understanding of how flow phenomena affect crosswind stability of ground vehicles which will enable the design of the less wind-sensitive vehicles. Therefore, the present study investigates the significance of roll on the dynamics of ground vehicles subjected to crosswind gusts. It includes a multidisciplinary approach in which there is a two-way coupled simulation between aerodynamics and vehicle dynamics equations. As a result of the investigations, significant differences have been found between the computations considering no-roll and roll motions.