Wind-Drag Estimation in a Traffic Accident Involving a Motor Scooter and a Tractor–Trailer

This case report focuses on the wind-drag effect.of a noncontact traffic accident involving a motor scooter and a tractor–trailer. The authors used load cells to measure the drag force acting on a substantially similar motor scooter when a substantially similar tractor–trailer passes by it, taking into consideration various speeds of the tractor–trailer and distances between the two vehicles. A three-dimensional steady-state flow analysis was also performed by using the CFX program for computational fluid dynamics to examine the streamlines and the pressure distribution around the tractor–trailer at various speeds. The maximum resultant drag force is 124.5 N (28 lb) for a separation distance of 1.0 m (3.28 ft) and a speed of 90 km ⁄ h (55.9 mph). This constitutes a degree of force that could abruptly disrupt the stability in maneuvering by an operator who is unaware of the approaching tractor–trailer. In addition, a single equation that relates the tractor–trailer speed to the drag force that acts on the motor scooter was derived on the basis of the Reynolds number and the wind-drag coefficient.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2012.02082.x
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00221198
• Authors:
  • Park, Chan-Seong
  • Jeon, Seung-Won
  • Lee, Kyu-Jung
  • Kim, Jun-Suk
  • Oh, Jae-Geun
  • Park, Jong-Chan
  • Lee, Hong-Seok
  • Choi, Young-Shik
• Publication Date: 2012-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 1108-1113
• Serial:
  • Journal of Forensic Sciences
  • Volume: 57
  • Issue Number: 4
  • Publisher: Blackwell Publishing
  • ISSN: 0022-1198
  • EISSN: 1556-4029
  • Serial URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1556-4029

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aerodynamic force; Case studies; Crash investigation; Drag; Flow; Maneuverability; Motor vehicle dynamics; Scooters; Tractor trailer combinations
• Subject Areas: Highways; Motor Carriers; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I80: Accident Studies; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01444317
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 27 2012 1:10PM