The wind tunnel simulation of wind turbulence for surface vehicle testing

Abstract Mathematicalexpressions are presented which describe the spectral properties of the turbulent flow field that must be produced in a wind tunnel to simulate the effects of natural winds on surface vehicles. It is shown that the turbulence field in the wind tunnel must be adjustable at fixed wind speed, in both intensity and length scale, to replicate the range of effects of the variable wind. This, in turn, requires the use of an active turbulence-producing mechanism. Preliminary results from one such device under development at the National Research Council Canada are presented.