Required flux tower height for measurement of re-suspended road dust

Abstract

Concentration of road dust re-suspended by passing vehicles can be measured using fine-dust measuring devices installed at various heights of a flux tower. In this study, simulations were performed to analyze the distribution of dust plumes along the height of a flux tower according to its distance from the center of the road, the vehicle speed, wind direction, and wind speed. Simulation results were compared with field measurements of re-suspended road dust collected by a flux tower during the passage of a van-type mobile laboratory vehicle to confirm the accuracy of the simulation. A parametric study was then conducted using the simulation of the mobile lab vehicle to evaluate the effects of vehicle speed, wind direction, and wind speed. To accurately capture re-suspended road dust concentrations, the flux tower must be at least 4.5, 5.1, 5.8, and 6.2 m high when located 2, 4, 6, and 8 m, respectively, from the road center. The results of this study are expected to serve as guidelines in determining the location and height of flux towers when measuring re-suspended road dust.