A Method to Determine the Effects of Measures to Reduce the Air Pollution Concentration Levels around Highway Tunnel Designs in Complex Situations

摘要

In the Netherlands residential areas near highways are only allowed if the noise and air quality standards are met. For not too complex built-up situations and road designs, mathematical atmospheric dispersion models can be used to calculate air pollution concentrations around highways. However, when the situation is complex with regard to buildings and road designs and also a non-building zone has to be determined, more accurate methods are required. Therefore a combined method of wind tunnel tests and mathematical model calculations has been developed to determine the air pollution concentrations around highway tunnel designs in complex situations. The concentrations around representative highway elements are measured in the wind tunnel. By scaling up or down, the concentrations around other dimensions of the highway elements can be calculated. Next the concentrations around complete arrays of highway tunnels are constructed. Traffic induced airflow and turbulence are taken into account in the wind tunnel modelling. Also the effects of noise reduction screens, number and length of successive tunnels and buildings around the open sections can be determined. The method is discussed within the framework of a specific problem.