Publication Detail
UCD 2001: An Improved Model to Simulate Pollutant Dispersion from Roadways
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UCD-ITS-RP-04-26 Journal Article |
Suggested Citation:
Held, Tony, Daniel P. Chang, Debbie A. Niemeier (2003) UCD 2001: An Improved Model to Simulate Pollutant Dispersion from Roadways. Atmospheric Environment 37 (38), 5325 - 5336
An improved dispersion model, UCD 2001, designed to estimate pollutant concentrations near roadways was developed and its performance evaluated. The UCD 2001 model internally represents a highway link as a three-dimensional array of point sources that simulates a roadway mixing zone which extends 2.5 m above a highway link. Dispersion from each point source is estimated with the Huang dispersion solution. The Huang equation is a simplified solution to the semi-empirical advection diffusion equation; its derivation permits vertical profiles of wind speed and eddy diffusivity in the boundary layer to be approximated by power law functions.
The UCD 2001 model was calibrated with one-half of the General Motors (GM) SF6 tracer study data base and resulted in a selection of eddy diffusivity parameters that did not vary with ambient meteorology. This parameterization is consistent with several independent studies which indicate that the atmosphere is well-mixed and neutrally stratified immediately downwind of a roadway with significant vehicular activity.
UCD 2001 model performance was evaluated and compared to the CALINE3 and CALINE4 dispersion models using the GM data base. UCD 2001 adequately simulates near parallel, low wind speed (less than 0.5 m/s) meteorological scenarios, whereas the CALINE models significantly over predict most receptor concentrations for these conditions. The UCD 2001 model results in approximately 80–90 percent reduction in squared residual error when compared to the CALINE3 and CALINE4 models. In addition, the UCD 2001 model exhibits better agreement in simulating the top forty observed concentrations than either CALINE model. Lastly, the UCD 2001 model requires less user input and modeler expertise than most roadway dispersion models, and should result in more consistent and robust pollutant field estimations.
The UCD 2001 model was calibrated with one-half of the General Motors (GM) SF6 tracer study data base and resulted in a selection of eddy diffusivity parameters that did not vary with ambient meteorology. This parameterization is consistent with several independent studies which indicate that the atmosphere is well-mixed and neutrally stratified immediately downwind of a roadway with significant vehicular activity.
UCD 2001 model performance was evaluated and compared to the CALINE3 and CALINE4 dispersion models using the GM data base. UCD 2001 adequately simulates near parallel, low wind speed (less than 0.5 m/s) meteorological scenarios, whereas the CALINE models significantly over predict most receptor concentrations for these conditions. The UCD 2001 model results in approximately 80–90 percent reduction in squared residual error when compared to the CALINE3 and CALINE4 models. In addition, the UCD 2001 model exhibits better agreement in simulating the top forty observed concentrations than either CALINE model. Lastly, the UCD 2001 model requires less user input and modeler expertise than most roadway dispersion models, and should result in more consistent and robust pollutant field estimations.