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Publication2023Intersect: The Stanford Journal of Science, Technology, and Society

Biomimetic Drag Reduction

Boxfish-inspired aerodynamics for Class 8 trailers

A solo-authored study translated boxfish morphology into trailer add-ons, then evaluated the design through CFD and a physical wind-tunnel model. The work was published in Stanford's Intersect journal.

Vedant Srinivas

Independent research

  • Computational fluid dynamics
  • Wind-tunnel testing
  • Biomimicry
CAD rendering of the boxfish-inspired Class 8 trailer geometry.

Outputs

Publication

Biomimicry as a Tool for the Aerodynamic Drag Reduction of Class 8 Heavy Vehicle Trailers

Intersect, volume 16, issue 3, 2023

Read article

At a glance

Evidence and outcomes

13.8%
CFD drag reduction

Compared with the baseline trailer model

16.7%
Wind-tunnel reduction

Measured with the physical scale model

0.65 → 0.56
Drag coefficient

Reported standard to biomimetic design

Experiment

Computational

  • Model add-on geometry in Fusion 360 while preserving the trailer's cargo volume.
  • Compare baseline and biomimetic geometries across a 20 to 70 mph CFD sweep.

Physical validation

  • 3D print a 1:120 scale cab and trailer with interchangeable add-ons.
  • Measure force across repeated wind-tunnel trials using a load-cell fixture.

Interpretation

The computational and physical experiments both favored the biomimetic geometry, with a smaller wake and lower measured drag. The tabletop wind tunnel and simplified CFD assumptions limit direct extrapolation to full-scale turbulent highway conditions.