Models of radon exhalation from building structures: General and case-specific solutions

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Building Physics
• Radiological Protection

Background:

• Radon exhalation from building materials significantly impacts indoor air quality.
• Direct radon measurement is challenging, necessitating reliable modeling approaches.
• Existing models often oversimplify radon transport due to mathematical complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically analyze and develop advanced models for radon transport in building structures.
• To provide accurate solutions for radon exhalation assessment considering various migration mechanisms and boundary conditions.
• To enhance strategies for preventing radon entry and reducing indoor radon concentrations.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a systematic analysis of existing radon transport models.
• Developed four distinct models based on diffusive and advective migration, with and without inner radon generation.
• Formulated three sets of case-specific boundary conditions for realistic building scenarios.

Main Results:

• Derived general mathematical solutions for all four developed radon transport models.
• Established case-specific solutions applicable to diverse building structures and contact conditions (soil, embankments).
• Demonstrated improved accuracy in assessing building material contributions to indoor radon.

Conclusions:

• The developed models and solutions offer a practical tool for precise radon exhalation assessment.
• Site-specific conditions and material properties can be accurately integrated into radon transport calculations.
• Enhanced accuracy aids in developing more effective radon mitigation and prevention strategies.