Aerodynamic Characteristics of Vehicles due to Cross - winds


Tatsuo MAEDA, Katsuji TANEMOTO
The accidents of overturning of vehicles due to strong cross-winds happened at Amarube bridge in Hyogo prefecture in 1986 and at embankments in Hokkaido and Iwate prefecture on the same day in 1994. The wind velocity of overturning of a vehicle due to cross-winds depend on the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle on the ground, an embankment or a bridge. Field tests were made on the aerodynamic characteristics of 101 series vehicles at rest on Isumi bridge and wind tunnel tests corresponding to the field tests were also made. The results of the wind tunnel tests agreed with those of the field tests qualitatively.