The paper investigates experimentally the global wake dynamics of a simplified three-dimensional ground vehicle at a Reynolds number of $Re\simeq 4.0\times 10^{5}$. The after-body has a blunt rectangular trailing edge leading to a massive flow separation. Both the inclination (yaw and pitch angles) and the distance to the ground (ground clearance) are accurately adjustable. Two different aspect ratios of the rectangular base are considered; wider than it is tall (minor axis perpendicular to the ground) and taller than it is wide (major axis perpendicular to the ground). Measurements of the spatial distribution of the pressure at the base and velocity fields in the wake are used as topological indicators of the flow. Sensitivity analyses of the base pressure gradient expressed in polar form (modulus and phase) varying ground clearance, yaw and pitch are performed. Above a critical ground clearance and whatever the inclination is, the modulus is always found to be large due to the permanent static symmetry-breaking instability, and slightly smaller when aligned with the minor axis of the base rather than when aligned with the major axis. The instability can be characterized with a unique wake mode, quantified by this modulus (asymmetry strength) and a phase (wake orientation) which is the key ingredient of the global wake dynamics. An additional deep rear cavity that suppresses the static instability allows a basic flow to be characterized. It is shown that both the inclination and the ground clearance constrain the phase dynamics of the unstable wake in such way that the component of the pressure gradient aligned with the minor axis of the rectangular base equals that of the basic flow. Meanwhile, the other component related to the major axis adjusts to preserve the large modulus imposed by the instability. In most cases, the dynamics explores only two possible opposite values of the component along the major axis. Their respective probability depends on the geometrical environment of the wake: base shape, body inclination, ground proximity and body supports. An expression for the lateral force coefficients taking into account the wake instability is proposed.

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We investigate the large-scale signature of the random switches between two mirrored turbulent wake states of flat-backed bodies. A direct numerical simulation (DNS) of the flow around an Ahmed body at a Reynolds number ( $Re$ ) of 10 000 is considered. Using proper orthogonal decomposition (POD), we identify the most energetic modes of the velocity field and build a low-dimensional model based on the first six fluctuating velocity modes capturing the characteristics of the flow dynamics during and between switches. In the absence of noise, the model produces random switches with characteristic time scales in agreement with the simulation and experiments. This chaotic model suggests that random switches are triggered by the increase of the vortex shedding activity. However, the addition of noise results in a better agreement in the temporal spectra of the coefficients between the model and the simulation.

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The paper presents different cavity wall designs at the rear of a flat-back Ahmed body to achieve drag reduction. The wake balance is assessed using the variance of the base pressure gradient and correlated to the obtained drag reduction. Without the rear cavity, the flat-back Ahmed body is subject to a steady instability producing a strong wake imbalance in the horizontal direction. The low drag rear design consists of a $$5^\circ$$ 5 ∘ inclined spoiler at the bottom (refered to as a diffuser) that first provokes a vertical imbalance and a non-inclined top spoiler with central imprints that re-balance the wake. The drag reduction is 11.5%, the wake structure is observed to respect the symmetry of the body base in both lateral and vertical directions suggesting a full stabilization of the initial steady instability. Both the wake balance and the stabilization are associated with the formation of a longitudinal vortex pair initiated at the imprint edges and penetrating the recirculating area.

We investigate the near-wake flow of an Ahmed body which is characterized by switches between two asymmetric states that are mirrors of each other in the spanwise direction. The work focuses on the relationship between the base pressure distribution and the near-wake velocity field. Using direct numerical simulation obtained at a Reynolds number of 10000 based on incoming velocity and body height as well as Bonnavion and Cadot's experiment[3], we perform Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) of the base pressure field. The signature of the switches is given by the amplitude of the most energetic, antisymmetric POD mode. However switches are also characterized by a global base suction decrease, as well as deformations in both vertical and lateral directions, which all correspond to large-scale symmetric modes. Most of the base suction reduction is due to the two most energetic symmetric modes. Using the linear stochastic estimation technique of [25], we show that the large scales of the near-wake velocity field can be recovered to some extent from the base pressure modes. Conversely, it is found that the dominant pressure modes and the base suction fluctuation can be well estimated from the POD velocity modes of the near-wake.