ANALYTICAL STUDIES OF THE LIFT AND ROLL STABILITY OF A RAM AIR CUSHION VEHICLE

A ram air cushion vehicle (a type of ram wing) is described schematically and compared with a conventional air cushion vehicle design. The nonlinear equations for the flow in the cushion region are derived. A review is made of the most recent literature on the subject of wings operating in a rectangular channel, and an approximate solution is developed which shows the relative effects of momentum and viscosity on the pressure distribution. Several analytic solutions are presented which show the effect of a small roll angle on the flow pattern; equations for the rolling moment coefficient are also obtained. It is recommended that future efforts be aimed at developing proper numerical techniques which can solve the nonlinear flow relations and that recent experimental efforts to obtain the lateral stability coefficients be continued and expanded. (Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Systems Center

  55 Broadway, Kendall Square
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02142
• Authors:
  • Barrows, T M
• Publication Date: 1972-12

Media Info

• Pagination: 67 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aerodynamics; Air cushion vehicles; Design; Drag; Ground effect; High speed ground transportation; Mathematical models; Momentum; Pressure; Rolling; Stability (Mechanics)
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Federal Railroad Administration
• Old TRIS Terms: Aerodynamic characteristics; Fra; Pressure drag; Ram wing vehicles; Roll
• Subject Areas: Design; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00046278
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT-TSC-FRA-72-10 Intrm Rpt
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FR-307
• Files: NTIS, TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 1973 12:00AM