Computational modeling of wake flow to improve visibility during high speed snow plowing

•A validated 3D CFD model was developed to study wake flow behind a snowplow truck.•A tailgate airfoil was evaluated to reduce visibility problems during snowplowing.•Airfoil increased flow shear forces and pressure at the base of the truck.•Airfoil increased the turbulent mixing and the size of wake region as a drawback.•Field tests confirmed less snow accumulation and better visibility with airfoil.

The snow particles entrained in the wake of the maintenance trucks and the subsequent snow accumulation on the rear warning lights appear as the most pronounced visibility problems during high speed snowplowing (HSSP). Development of reliable and cost-effective methods have been demanded by State Department of Transportations to address the visibility hazards that impair safety of the operator and following traffic. An experimentally validated three dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to study the performance of a convex shaped tailgate airfoil to reduce visibility problems during HSSP. Possibility of snow coverage at the rear side of the truck is assessed by evaluating pressure and shear stress distributions. The airfoil selected based on the numerical study is installed to the tailgate of the truck and tested in the field. The full scale field tests validated the accuracy of the CFD model and confirmed the improved rear-side visibility by the tailgate airfoil.