Evaluation of the Street Canyon Level Air Pollution Distribution Pattern in a Typical City Block in Baoding, China

Jingcheng Zhou, Junfeng Liu (), Songlin Xiang, Yizhou Zhang, Yuqing Wang, Wendong Ge, Jianying Hu, Yi Wan, Xuejun Wang, Ying Liu, Jianmin Ma, Xilong Wang and Shu Tao
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Jingcheng Zhou: Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Junfeng Liu: Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Songlin Xiang: Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Yizhou Zhang: Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Yuqing Wang: Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Wendong Ge: Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Jianying Hu: Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Yi Wan: Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Xuejun Wang: Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Ying Liu: School of Statistics, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing 100029, China
Jianmin Ma: Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Xilong Wang: Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
Shu Tao: Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 16, 1-14

Abstract: Urban traffic pollution, which is strongly influenced by the complex urban morphology, has posed a great threat to human health. In this study, we performed a high-resolution simulation of traffic pollution in a typical city block in Baoding, China, based on the Parallelized Large-eddy simulation Model (PALM), to examine the distribution patterns of traffic-related pollutants and explore their relationship with urban morphology. Based on the model results, we conducted a multi-linear regression (MLR) analysis and found that the distribution of air pollutants inside the city block was dominated by both traffic emissions and urban morphology, which explained about 70% of the total variance in spatial distribution of air pollutants. Excluding the contribution of emissions, over 50% of the total variance can still be explained by the urban morphology. Among these urban morphological factors, the key factors determining the spatial distribution of air pollution are “Distance from the road” (DR), “Building Coverage Ratio” (BCR) and “Aspect Ratio” (H/W) of the street canyon. Specifically, urban areas with lower Aspect Ratio, lower BCR and larger DR are less affected by traffic pollution. Compiling these individual factors, we developed a complex Urban Morphology Pollution Index (UMPI). Each unit increase in UMPI is associated with a one percent increase of nearby traffic pollution contribution. This index can help urban planners to semi-quantitatively evaluate building groups which tend to trap or ventilate traffic pollution and thus help to reduce human exposure to street canyon level pollution through either traffic emission control or urban morphology amelioration.

Keywords: air pollution; street canyon; urban canopy; urban morphology; traffic emissions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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