The Influence of Wind Tunnel Solid Boundaries on Automotive Test Data

Wind tunnel tests were conducted on a series of 1/4-scale, 1/6-scale and 1/8-scale models of various automotive configurations utilizing a wind tunnel fitted with adjustable ceiling and sidewall inserts. Force, moment, and static pressure distribution data were acquired and used to develop corrections which appear to account for the constraints imposed on the flow field about these bodies by solid tunnel walls. In addition test section size limitations are defined for the acquisition of reliable data from automotive configurations.