The severe additional aerodynamic loads that are generated on a small car when overtaking a coach have an adverse effect on the car handling stability and its safety. In this article, a two-way coupling of the unsteady aerodynamics and multi-body dynamics is performed in order to study the mutual interactions of a car in an overtaking maneuver with a coach. The unsteady aerodynamic interactions are obtained by using SST (Menter) K-Omega Detached Eddy Simulation and overset mesh technology. The aerodynamics couple the multi-body dynamics, taking into account the effects of the transverse spacing and the cross winds. To validate the necessity of the two-way coupling method, a one-way coupling of the aerodynamics to the vehicle motion is also conducted. Finally, by comparing the aerodynamic loads and the dynamic response of the overtaking car in different overtaking maneuvers between one- and two-way coupling, the results show that it should be considered with two-way coupling analyses of the car while overtaking a coach, particularly under the severe conditions of a lower transverse spacing or the crosswinds.

Large-eddy simulation (LES) and Detached-eddy simulation (DES) were applied to a simple cavity model to calculate the wind buffeting noise respectively. The results were verified by wind tunnel experiments. The results show that LES is more suitable for wind buffeting noise calculation. LES method was employed to calculate automobile side-window buffeting noise. The correctness of results was validated by a road test. In this paper, the acoustically calculated sound pressure level (SPL) spectral curve is used as the initial signal of the acoustic post-processing. Four psychoacoustic objective parameters namely: loudness, sharpness, roughness and fluctuation were obtained by using Matlab R2016a to compile the calculation process. Sound quality evaluation (SQE) of the vehicle is performed via most frequently used SPL and four calculated vehicle comfort index. It can be concluded that with the increase of driving velocity, SPL and loudness show an increasing trend, while roughness, sharpness and fluctuation present a decreasing trend. It can be also summarised that with the increase of window opening degree, SPL and loudness show an increasing trend, sharpness presents a decreasing trend, and roughness and fluctuation display the trend of ups and downs. The main original contribution of this paper is the accurate calculation of wind buffeting noise and the summary of the changing rule of SPL, loudness, roughness, sharpness and fluctuation with the variation of velocity and window opening degree.

In view of the unsatisfactory calculation accuracy of common turbulence models, two improved models, called improved low-Reynolds number (ILRN) k− ε and Detached EddySimulation (DES)-ILRN are proposed. Basing on the low-Reynolds number (LRN k− ε) turbulence model in this paper, revised concepts include the introduction of turbulence time scale, eddy viscosity coefficient limitation concept and separation perception model. Otherwise, the DES model is improved by introducing the ILRN model. The accuracy of the two models is validated through wind tunnel test. Then, the wind buffeting noise from rear windows is received by ILRN and DES-ILRN turbulence models, and the obtained results are compared with the road test. The accuracy of ILRN and DES-ILRN turbulence models in calculating wind buffeting noise of a real vehicle is validated by experiment. ILRN and DES-ILRN models are applied to research the wind buffeting noise, and good calculation results are obtained. They are promising methods to solve wind buffeting noise problems.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a numerical model used for calculating the nonlinearities of large-scale hydro-pneumatic suspension (HPS) and investigating the effects of variations in flow path and operational parameter on suspension damping response. Design/methodology/approach To parameterization nonlinearities of the suspension, the author developed a two-phase flow model of a large-scale HPS based on computational fluid dynamics and volume of fluid method. Considerable effort was made to verify the nonlinearities by field measurements carried out on an off-highway mining dump truck. The investigation of effects of variations in flow path and operational parameter on damping characteristics highlights the necessity of the numerical simulation. Findings The two-phase flow model can represent the gas-oil interaction and simulate the suspension operational movement conveniently. Transient numerical simulation results can be used to model the nonlinearities of large-scale HPS accurately. A new phenomenon was discovered that the pressure in rebound chamber presents reduction trend during compression stroke in special cases. It has never been reported before. Originality/value Developed a two-phase flow model of a large-scale HPS, which can manage the gas-oil interaction and capture the complex flow field structure in it. The paper is the first study to model the nonlinearities of a large-scale HPS used in off-highway mining dump truck through transient numerical simulation. Compared with previous researches, such a research not only gives new insight and thorough understanding into the suspension internal fluid structure but also can give good guiding opinions to the optimal design of HPS.

Since the results of wake flow simulation with commonly used turbulence models are unsatisfactory, by introducing a nonlinear Reynolds stress term and combining the DES (Detached Eddy Simulation) model, this paper further validates the nonlinear-LRN (Low Reynolds Number)/DES turbulence model which can predict flow separation and reattachment phenomenon more accurately. This model was verified by a wall-mounted hump flow case and was applied to the time-averaged and transient flow field structure analysis of a realistic automotive model with several widely used turbulence models. These simulation results were compared with the experimental data, indicating that nonlinear-LRN/DES model gives better agreements with the experiment and can predict the automobile wake flow structures and aerodynamic characteristics more accurately. Furthermore, the performance of the nonlinear-LRN/DES model in mesh with different refinement are compared, concluding that the new proposed model can obtain high accuracy in coarse mesh.