Wind Tunnel Tests of Trailer and Container Models. Determination of the Independent Influence of Height and Gap Spacings and Trailer Undercarriage Shielding on Aerodynamic Forces Occurring during Railroad Transport

摘要

A series of wind tunnel tests have been run on scale model trains of 40 ft. containers and trailers. The models were 1/43 scale. A train of five models was used with forces and moments measured on the center model. A variety of spaces were used between the models. The height of the container models was varied and the undercarriage of the trailers was protected with shields of different heights. These tests are the latest in a series designed to determine the aerodynamic forces on containers and trailers on flatcars. This series provides additional information on the effect of different container block height and gap spacings and the effect of spacing on the forces on trailers with different amounts of shielding up to large values of yaw angle.