Modeling radon transport in dry, cracked soil

A two‐dimensional finite element code was used to investigate the effect of changes in surface air pressure on radon flux from soil with parallel, partially penetrating cracks. A sensitivity analysis investigates the effects of various crack dimensions, soil characteristics, and surface air pressure on radon flux from the soil surface to the atmosphere. Simulation results indicate that radon flux is most sensitive to soil properties; the diffusion coefficient is most important, followed by permeability and porosity. Radon flux is also sensitive to changes in barometric pressure, which cause variations in radon flux above and below the average diffusive flux. Sinusoidal variations in barometric pressure cause a net increase in the average radon flux from the soil, because increases in flux during periods of decreasing pressure are greater than the decreases in flux during periods of decreasing pressure of equal magnitude. Cracks were found to significantly increase radon flux from soils of low permeability.