A wind-tunnel methodology for assessing the slipstream of high-speed trains

A 1/10th-scale wind-tunnel technique for assessing the slipstream of high-speed trains (HST) is assessed through comparison to full-scale field and 1/25th-scale moving-model experimental results of an Inter-City Express 3 (ICE3) – a HST in operation throughout Europe and Asia – with the view of applying the wind-tunnel methodology for checking regulatory compliance in the design phase of a HST. The effect of the experimental limitations inherent in a wind-tunnel slipstream methodology: the presence of a stationary floor, reduced length of the model, limited test-section size and ground-fixed frame-of-reference are also investigated. Subsequently, recommendations for the use of wind-tunnel and moving model methodologies for assessing the slipstream of prototype HSTs with an applied, industrial aerodynamics focus, are made.