The Evaluation of Construction Dust Diffusion and Sedimentation Using Wind Tunnel Experiment

A large quantity of particulate matter is generated during construction of civil engineering projects, which has a negative effect on the atmosphere and environment. In order to explore the concentration, distribution and diffusion of particulate matters generated from construction dust with different moisture contents, a wind tunnel experiment was conducted, and the effects of wind speed and moisture content on the inhibition rate, drifting distance and suppression percentage of particulate matters were investigated. The results show that the peak concentration decreases with the increase in moisture content, compared with dry dust; the peak concentrations for 1%, 2% and 3% moisture content are reduced by 37.07%, 39.53% and 65.38%, respectively. The average concentrations in the cross-section decrease with the increase in the moisture content, resulting in an increasing tendency of the particle inhibition rate. The forecast drifting distance decreases with the increase in the moisture content; when the suspension percentage is 1%, the forecast drifting distances of dry dust, 1%, 2% and 3% moisture content are 641.58, 116.08, 19.33 and 3.82 km, respectively, for a 5 m/s wind speed. Considering that an increase in wind velocity will not only decrease the inhibition rate but also increase the drifting distance, the dust suppression method by increasing the moisture content in low and medium wind velocities is applicable. When the limit value of the particle suppression rate within a distance of 50 m is larger than 70%, construction activities are prohibited at any wind velocity for dry and 1% moisture content, and at wind velocities larger than 2 m/s and 4 m/s for 2% and 3% moisture content, respectively.