Contribution of computational wind engineering in train aerodynamics—past and future

This paper provides an overview to all the published computational work in the Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics in the field of train aerodynamics since 1992. It has been found that in early nineties the computational power was limited and thus simplified potential flow solves and 1D codes were the main tools for train aerodynamics. Solution of the fully viscus and turbulent flow for train aerodynamics was limited to 2D cases using the steady RANS solvers on coarse meshes. In later nineties, the increase in computational power allowed for the solution of the fully turbulent flow around 3D models of high-speed trains using RANS models. Recently and due to the significant increase in computational power, the high fidelity Detached Eddy Simulations (DES) and Large Eddy Simulations became the computational methods for the different issues in train aerodynamics. It has been found that although computational wind engineering (CWE) contributed significantly in the development of new high-speed trains in the past thirty years, there are still number of emerging issues in the aerodynamics of high-speed trains that require considerable investigations by the CWE community. •The paper reviews all the computational paper for train aerodynamics published in the JWEIA from 1992 to 2022.•New trends in the investigations of traditional issues of train aerodynamics are presented.•Emerging issues in train aerodynamics are presented.