Numerical study on the aerodynamic drag of drafting cyclist groups

Bert Blocken; Thijs Defraeye; Erwin Koninckx; Jan Carmeliet; Peter Hespel

Numerical study on the aerodynamic drag of drafting cyclist groups

Bert Blocken^*, Thijs Defraeye, Erwin Koninckx, Jan Carmeliet, Peter Hespel

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper presents a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) investigation of the aerodynamic effects of drafting in cycling. In drafting, cyclists ride close behind each other to reduce aerodynamic drag. The CFD simulations for single cyclists and for a group of two cyclists are successfully compared with wind-tunnel measurements. Both CFD simulations and wind tunnel measurements show that also the leading cyclist experiences a drag reduction, which goes up to 3.1% for groups of four cyclists and more. For six or more similarly-sized cyclists riding closely behind each other, the position enjoying the largest drag reduction is the one-but-last position.

Original language	English
Pages	1-4
Number of pages	4
Publication status	Published - Jul 2013
Event	6th European and African Conference on Wind Engineering 2013 - Robinson College, Cambridge, United Kingdom Duration: 7 Jul 2013 → 11 Jul 2013 Conference number: 6 https://www.iawe.org/iaweconf.html

Conference

Conference	6th European and African Conference on Wind Engineering 2013
Abbreviated title	EACWE 2013
Country/Territory	United Kingdom
City	Cambridge
Period	7/07/13 → 11/07/13
Internet address	https://www.iawe.org/iaweconf.html

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

https://www.iawe.org/about/6th_eacwe_proceedings.html

Cite this

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title = "Numerical study on the aerodynamic drag of drafting cyclist groups",

abstract = "This paper presents a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) investigation of the aerodynamic effects of drafting in cycling. In drafting, cyclists ride close behind each other to reduce aerodynamic drag. The CFD simulations for single cyclists and for a group of two cyclists are successfully compared with wind-tunnel measurements. Both CFD simulations and wind tunnel measurements show that also the leading cyclist experiences a drag reduction, which goes up to 3.1% for groups of four cyclists and more. For six or more similarly-sized cyclists riding closely behind each other, the position enjoying the largest drag reduction is the one-but-last position.",

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AU - Blocken, Bert

AU - Defraeye, Thijs

AU - Koninckx, Erwin

AU - Carmeliet, Jan

AU - Hespel, Peter

N1 - Conference code: 6

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Y1 - 2013/7

N2 - This paper presents a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) investigation of the aerodynamic effects of drafting in cycling. In drafting, cyclists ride close behind each other to reduce aerodynamic drag. The CFD simulations for single cyclists and for a group of two cyclists are successfully compared with wind-tunnel measurements. Both CFD simulations and wind tunnel measurements show that also the leading cyclist experiences a drag reduction, which goes up to 3.1% for groups of four cyclists and more. For six or more similarly-sized cyclists riding closely behind each other, the position enjoying the largest drag reduction is the one-but-last position.

AB - This paper presents a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) investigation of the aerodynamic effects of drafting in cycling. In drafting, cyclists ride close behind each other to reduce aerodynamic drag. The CFD simulations for single cyclists and for a group of two cyclists are successfully compared with wind-tunnel measurements. Both CFD simulations and wind tunnel measurements show that also the leading cyclist experiences a drag reduction, which goes up to 3.1% for groups of four cyclists and more. For six or more similarly-sized cyclists riding closely behind each other, the position enjoying the largest drag reduction is the one-but-last position.

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ER -

Numerical study on the aerodynamic drag of drafting cyclist groups

Abstract

Conference

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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