Control system for determining a reference side area for a vehicle entity

A control system for determining a reference side area for a vehicle entity, the vehicle entity being a vehicle or a vehicle trailer and having a nominal vehicle entity side area, the reference side area being adapted to be multiplied with a side force coefficient for determining a side force parameter proportional to a wind side force load imparted on the vehicle entity and/or to be multiplied with a lift coefficient for determining a lift parameter proportional to a wind lift load imparted on the vehicle entity and/or to be combined with a drag coefficient for determining a drag load imparted on the vehicle entity, the vehicle entity comprising a load surface adapted to receive a material load such that at least a portion of the material load can be exposed to wind loads, be load surface being associated with a load surface area and a load surface length;

• the vehicle entity having a longitudinal extension in a longitudinal direction, a transversal extension in a transversal direction, and a vertical extension in a vertical direction such that when the vehicle entity is supported by a horizontally extending ground surface, the vertical direction is parallel to a normal of the horizontally extending ground surface, the longitudinal direction corresponding to an intended direction of travel of the vehicle entity and the transversal direction being perpendicular to each one of the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction;
• and
• the load surface area extending in a plane, the normal of which is parallel to the vertical direction, the load surface length extending in the longitudinal direction, each one of the reference side area and the nominal vehicle entity side area extending in a plane, the normal of which is parallel to the transversal direction, the control system being adapted to:
• receive density information indicative of a density of material loaded onto the load surface;
• receive weight information indicative of a weight of material loaded onto the load surface;
• use the density information, the weight information, the load surface area and the load surface length in order to determine a material load surface area the material load surface area extending in a plane, the normal of which is parallel to the transversal direction;
• and
• use the material load surface area and the nominal vehicle entity side area in order to determine the reference side area.