Design and Construction Criteria of Twin Tunnel: Taking an Adverse Wind Condition Effects on Air Pollution Short Circuit at Tunnel Portals as a case

Abstract

This paper aims to study the influence of the tunnel portal designs, wind conditions and ventilation rate on the amount of air pollution short circuit from one tunnel tube to the other. These effects are investigated by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code used a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) method to control air quality inside the tunnel and reduced as far as possible a short circuited (flow Recirculation) flow level. A validation of CFD code to experimental data in 1:100 scale model of the road traffic tunnel tested in wind-tunnel showed that the CFD gave satisfactory prediction of the air pollution short circuit in the vicinity of tunnel portal. The predicted concentration of the gas tracer (CO2) used as the safety criterion provide the useful information about a short circuit amount resulted for each structural variant of tunnel portals, such as a central dividing wall built as extensions from the end of road tunnel and offset tunnel portal entrance exit tested under different speed ratio of wind and ventilation. A detailed look at results is beyond the scope of analysis to determine optimal air pollution short circuit percentages. Finally, the perfect tunnel portals geometry can be suggested.