DESIGN OF APPARATUS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF AERODYNAMIC DRAG COEFFICIENT OF AUTOMOBILES

There are three major components of the total resistance to motion of road vehicles: aerodynamic drag, rolling resistance in the form of tire friction on road surfaces and mechanical resistance in the form of bearing friction. Apparatus constructed at the naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, employs the measurement of total drag (aerodynamic drag + rolling resistance drag + mechanical drag) by means of coastdown testing and the measurement of rolling resistance and mechanical drag in an aerodynamic shielding trailer to determine the aerodynamic drag. Data acquisition and reduction is carried out with portable dedicated minicomputer system. The apparatus is designed to yield drag coefficients with an estimated uncertainty of about one percent.

• Corporate Authors:

  Naval Postgraduate School

  1 University Circle
  Monterey, CA  United States  93943
• Authors:
  • Gritte, B R
• Publication Date: 1984-6

Media Info

• Pagination: 80 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aerodynamics; Automobiles; Coefficients; Design; Drag; Measuring instruments; Microcomputers; Rolling resistance
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00450196
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 27 2004 8:57PM