We describe a novel modeling technique, based on Duhamel's theorem, to study the effects of time-varying winds on radon transport in soil near buildings. The technique, implemented in the model RapidSTART, reduces computational times for transient, three-dimensional, wind-induced soil-gas and radon transport by three to four orders of magnitude compared with conventional finite-dierence models.
The wind speed and wind direction affected concentration of indoor radon in seven houses, which arelocated in three region of southern Finland. In the case of houses (B - F) which are built on upperslope of a permeable esker, according to the analysis of covariance the highest concentration of indoorradon, 20 - 33% over grand mean, was observed when wind (v?0.4 m.s-1) direction was perpendicularthe esker, leading to increasing pressure of soil gas and consequently to increased radon entry andconcentration.
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