14/08/2026
Project Overview
The vehicle is analyzed using CFD to investigate the flow field around the body, particularly the front-end flow separation, underbody flow, wheel regions, wake development, and turbulent structures.
The image combines two important CFD results:
Acoustic Pressure (Pa) — shown mainly by the colored contour around the vehicle.
Wall Shear Stress Magnitude (Pa) — shown on the vehicle surface and surrounding flow region.
1. External Aerodynamics
The first objective is to understand how air flows around the vehicle at operating speed.
The simulation can be used to evaluate:
Pressure distribution around the vehicle
Flow separation and reattachment
Boundary-layer development
Wheel and wheel-arch aerodynamics
Underbody flow
Wake formation behind the vehicle
Turbulence and vortical structures
Aerodynamic drag and lift
The regions around the wheels are particularly important because rotating wheels generate strong turbulent structures that can contribute significantly to aerodynamic losses and noise.
2. Wall Shear Stress Analysis
The wall shear stress indicates the tangential forces generated by the airflow acting on the vehicle surface.
High wall shear stress generally indicates regions with strong near-wall velocity gradients and energetic flow.
It is particularly useful for identifying:
High-friction regions
Boundary-layer behavior
Flow separation zones
Wheel/underbody interaction
Areas contributing to aerodynamic drag
In an engineering optimization study, these regions can be targeted for geometry modifications to improve aerodynamic performance.
3. Aeroacoustics
The second major part of the project is aerodynamic noise prediction.
The airflow around the vehicle generates pressure fluctuations due to turbulent structures, flow separation, vortex shedding, and wheel–air interaction.
These pressure fluctuations propagate away from the vehicle as aerodynamic sound.
The acoustic-pressure contour shown in the image represents these pressure fluctuations in the surrounding flow field.
This type of analysis can help investigate:
Wind noise
Wheel-generated noise
Mirror/A-pillar noise
Underbody aerodynamic noise
Turbulent wake noise
Pressure fluctuations around the vehicle
4. CFD Workflow
A typical workflow for this project would be:
CAD Geometry → Computational Domain → Surface/Volume Meshing → External Aerodynamics → Turbulence Modeling → Transient CFD → Pressure Fluctuation Extraction → Acoustic Analysis → Noise Evaluation
For a high-fidelity study, a transient turbulence approach such as DES/IDDES or LES can be considered because the acoustic sources are strongly related to unsteady turbulent structures.
5. Engineering Objective
The ultimate goal is not only to visualize the flow but to establish a relationship between vehicle geometry, aerodynamic performance, and acoustic performance.
For example:
Geometry modification → reduced flow separation → weaker turbulent structures → lower pressure fluctuations → reduced aerodynamic noise
This makes the project highly relevant to automotive CFD, vehicle aerodynamic optimization, and aeroacoustic design.
Professional Project Description
Automotive External Aerodynamics & Aeroacoustics CFD Analysis
A high-fidelity CFD study was conducted to investigate external airflow behavior and aerodynamic noise generation around a vehicle. The analysis focused on flow separation, turbulent structures, wheel–air interaction, wall shear stress, and acoustic pressure fluctuations. The CFD results provide detailed insight into the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle and identify critical regions responsible for aerodynamic losses and noise generation. The study can be further used for geometry optimization aimed at reducing drag, improving aerodynamic efficiency, and minimizing wind and flow-induced noise.