Modelling the source and mechanism of radon entry into the building

Abstract

The problem of ensuring the radon safety of construction is currently far from being solved, which is explained by the lack of a unified opinion on the dominant mechanism of radon transport from the soil into indoor area. The modelling of the contributions of diffusion and convective radon fluxes into the buildings performed in the paper shows that convection starts playing a role at sufficiently high floor structure permeabilities (about 10-12 m2). Modern construction technologies make it possible to provide lower permeabilities of the underground walling, excluding convective radon entry into the buildings. Based on the diffusion model of radon entry, the paper proposes a method for ensuring radon safety of buildings at the design stage.