Aerodynamic and Structural Analysis of a Low Speed Campus Delivery Robot

Abstract

This study presents a numerical evaluation of the aerodynamic performance and structural integrity of a low-speed campus delivery robot design using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (EA) methods. CFD simulations were conducted at speeds ranging from 0.5 m/s to 10.0 m/s to analyze airflow characteristics and drag forces. The results show that drag force increases quadratically with speed, from 0.2091 N at 0.5 m/s to 12.9906 N at 10.0 m/s, but remains efficient within typical campus operating speeds. FEA analysis under vertical loads of 5–15 kg confirmed the structural strength of the 6061 aluminum frame: at the maximum 15 kg load, the peak stress was only 3.207 MPa, well below the material's yield strength, with a maximum deformation of 4.527 × 10⁻³ mm and a minimum Factor of Safety (FOS) of 85.7, indicating the design is overdesigned relative to its operational load. Future improvement is recommended through frontal-shape optimization and selective thickness reduction in low-stress regions to reduce overall weight without compromising stability.