Title | The Effect of Steady Winds on Radon Entry into Houses |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 1996 |
Authors | William J Riley, Ashok J Gadgil, Yves C Bonnefous, William W Nazaroff |
Journal | Atmospheric Environment |
Volume | 30 |
Start Page | Chapter |
Pagination | 1167-1176 |
Abstract | Wind affects the radon entry rate from soil into buildings and the resulting indoor concentration. To investigate this phenomenon. we employ a previously tested three-dimensional numerical model of soil-gas flow around houses. a commercial computational fluid dynamics code. an established model for determining ventilation rates in the presence of wind. and new wind tunnel results for the ground-surface pressure field caused by wind. These tools and data, applied under steady-state conditions to a prototypical residential building, allow us to
For a broad range of soil permeabilities. two wind speeds, and two wind directions, we quantify the "flushing" effect of wind on the radon in the soil surrounding a house, and the consequent sharp decrease in radon entry rates. Experimental measurements of the time-dependent radon concentration in soil gas beneath houses confirm the existence of wind-induced flushing. Comparisons are made to modeling predictions obtained while ignoring the effect of the wind-generated ground-surface pressures. These investigations lead to the conclusion that wind-generated ground-surface pressures play a significant role in determining radon entry rates into residential buildings. |