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Aerodynamic optimization of a truck bumper
Ceres, U. 2025. Aerodynamic Optimization of a Truck Bumper. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/5035a627-642c-427d-9714-d08ee945d167
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| Format: | Thesis |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613876988674048 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Ceres, Umar |
| author2 | Van der Spuy, Sybrand Johan |
| author_browse | Ceres, Umar Van der Spuy, Sybrand Johan |
| author_facet | Van der Spuy, Sybrand Johan Ceres, Umar |
| author_sort | Ceres, Umar |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Ceres, U. 2025. Aerodynamic Optimization of a Truck Bumper. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/5035a627-642c-427d-9714-d08ee945d167 |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132097 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:06.958Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132097 Aerodynamic optimization of a truck bumper Ceres, Umar Van der Spuy, Sybrand Johan Venter, Gerhard Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. Trucks -- Aerodynamics Automobiles -- Bumpers Computational fluid dynamics Transportation -- Climatic factors UCTD Ceres, U. 2025. Aerodynamic Optimization of a Truck Bumper. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/5035a627-642c-427d-9714-d08ee945d167 Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Aerodynamic drag has a large influence on the fuel efficiency of road freight vehicles and thus their carbon emissions. It is estimated that 30 % of the transport industry’s carbon emissions is accounted for by the road freight industry. As such, improving the fuel efficiency of these vehicles has become a major focus within the industry. This study considers the shape optimisation of a truck bumper for the overall drag reduction of a generic conventional tractor-trailer model using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models in conjunction with a local iterative surrogate modelling approach. The surrogate model used in this study is a secondorder polynomial model, while an optimal Latin hypercube sampling technique is used as the sampling method. The constructed surrogate models are minimised using the Modified Method of Feasible Directions (MMFD) algorithm. The bumper geometry is parameterised using five design variables. The results show that an 8.65 % improvement in the overall drag coefficient of the truck is achievable by only modifying the shape of the bumper. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Aerodinamiese weerstand het ’n groot invloed op die brandstofdoeltreffendheid van padvragvoertuie, en dus hul vlak van koolstofemissies. Daar word beraam dat 30 % van die vervoerbedryf se koolstofemissies deur padvrag veroorsaak word. Gevolglik het die verbetering van die brandstofdoeltreffendheid van hierdie voertuie ’n groot fokus binne die bedryf geword. Hierdie studie oorweeg die vormoptimering van ’n vragmotor se voorbuffer vir die algehele vermindering van lugweerstand van ’n generiese konvensionele trekker-sleepwa model deur gebruik te maak van berekenings vloeimeganika (BVM) in kombinasie met lokale, iteratiewe surrogaatmodellering. Die surrogaatmodel wat in hierdie studie gebruik is, is ’n tweede-orde polinoom model, terwyl “optimal Latin hypercube sampling” as die steekproefmetode gebruik word. Die opgestelde surrogaatmodelle word geminimeer met behulp van die “Modified Method of Feasible Directions” (MMFD) algoritme. Die voorbuffergeometrie word geparametriseer met vyf ontwerpsveranderlikes. Die resultate toon ’n 8.65 % verbetering in die algehele lugweerstand van die voertuig. Masters 2025-05-23T09:37:08Z 2025-05-23T09:37:08Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132097 Stellenbosch University x, 100 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Trucks -- Aerodynamics Automobiles -- Bumpers Computational fluid dynamics Transportation -- Climatic factors UCTD Ceres, Umar Aerodynamic optimization of a truck bumper |
| title | Aerodynamic optimization of a truck bumper |
| title_full | Aerodynamic optimization of a truck bumper |
| title_fullStr | Aerodynamic optimization of a truck bumper |
| title_full_unstemmed | Aerodynamic optimization of a truck bumper |
| title_short | Aerodynamic optimization of a truck bumper |
| title_sort | aerodynamic optimization of a truck bumper |
| topic | Trucks -- Aerodynamics Automobiles -- Bumpers Computational fluid dynamics Transportation -- Climatic factors UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132097 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ceresumar aerodynamicoptimizationofatruckbumper |