Numerical and experimental studies of pollutant dispersion in the urban environment

MINIATURA 9

Funding Organization: National Science Centre

Project title: Numerical and experimental studies of pollutant dispersion in the urban environment

Agreement number: DEC-2025/09/X/ST8/01229

Project implementation period: 05.12.2025 - 04.12.2026

Principal Investigator: dr inż. Paulina Jamińska-Gadomska

Project value: 49 506,00 PLN

Funds granted for Lublin University of Technology: 49 506,00 PLN

Abstract: The project is carried out within the discipline of Civil Engineering, Geodesy and Transport . The increasing environmental burden in urban areas and the need for a better understanding of pollutant transport processes require the development of methods that integrate experimental data with numerical modelling. A key element is the realistic representation of airflow in complex urban geometry, which demands both precise measurements and appropriately prepared simulations.
The aim of the planned work is to develop and validate an integrated method for studying pollutant dispersion in the urban environment by combining wind-tunnel experiments with numerical computations. The analysis will be conducted for a 420-m-radius area of Warsaw. A series of wind-tunnel experiments with an atmospheric boundary layer will be performed, covering 12 inflow directions and four wind speeds. Measurements will include velocity, pressure, and smoke visualisations in key urban areas such as street canyons and spaces between buildings. In parallel, RANS simulations will be carried out. The numerical results will then be calibrated and validated using the experimental data. The final stage will involve optimising the computational parameters and mesh quality to ensure high agreement between the physical and numerical models.
The outcome of the project will be a validated numerical model of the selected part of Warsaw, enabling further analyses of how different flow and meteorological conditions affect local pollutant concentrations.