Technical Paper
Computational Fluid Dynamics Model Creation and Simulation for Class 8 Tractor-Trailers
2023-08-18
2023-01-5051
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with Research Triangle Institute (RTI International) and Auto Research Center (ARC-Indy), have created digital geometries of commercially available heavy-duty tractor-trailers. The goal of this effort was to improve the agency’s understanding of aerodynamic modeling of modern trucks and to provide opportunities for more consistent engagement on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses. Sleeper and day cab tractors with aerodynamic features and a 53-foot box trailer with aerodynamic technology options were scanned to create high-resolution geometries. The scanning process consisted of a combination of physical scanning with a handheld device, along with digital post-processing. The completed truck geometries are compatible with most commercial CFD software and are publicly available for modeling and analyses.