Analysis of the effect of dust barriers on particulate matter dispersion from a construction site using CFD simulation

Abstract

Urban construction activities generate particulate matter (PM), which poses a severe threat to urban residents' quality of life. The complex topography of urban areas and turbulent air flow make it difficult to predict PM dispersion and establish control measures. This study predicted PM dispersion from construction sites to urban areas under four wind directions using CFD simulations and determined optimal dust barrier heights for reducing PM exposure. This study showed that PM exposure on residents depends on wind directions in the urban area up to 2.3 times, still a flexible approach to determine optimal barrier heights based on stakeholder preferences was effective in all wind directions. Accurate PM dispersion predictions and control measures are crucial for improving urban air quality and residents' well-being.

Keywords: Computational fluid dynamics; Construction site; Discrete phase model.; Dust barrier; Particulate matter; Realizable k-epsilon turbulence model.