Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Air quality impact assessment for the Eurasia Tunnel in Istanbul, Turkey

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Eurasia Tunnel, a 5.4-km tunnel connecting the Asian and European sides of Istanbul, Turkey, was opened for operation in December 2016. This paper describes the air quality modeling that was conducted during the design phase of the structure, to evaluate the impact of the tunnel traffic on ambient air quality in the vicinity of the tunnel. The ventilation of the tunnel consists of longitudinal forced ventilation with vertical extraction through two stacks located near the Asian and European portals of the tunnel. The analysis was conducted using the AERMOD computer program for three pollutants CO, NO2, and PM10. Model results show that pollutants will rapidly disperse once released from the stack and will not affect air quality in the vicinity of the tunnel. The most critical parameters which controlled the ventilation system design were found to be NO2 and PM10. Maximum concentrations are not expected to violate the pertinent Turkish and EU air quality standards. Overall, this analysis shows that the ventilation system is efficient for the dispersion of the pollutants.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • New Zealand Transport Agency (2013). Guide to road tunnels, 37 pp. https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/guide-to-road-tunnels/docs/guide-to-road-tunnels.pdf.

  • Arioglu, B., Gokce, H. B., Malcioglu, F. S., & Arioglu, E. (2016). TBM Tunnel under the Bosphorus for the Istanbul Strait Road Crossing Project. Geomechanics and Tunnelling, 9(4), 303–309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cimorelli, A.J., Perry S.G., Venkatram A., Weil J.C., Paine R.J., Wilson R.B., Lee R.F., Peters W.D. (2003). AERMOD description of model formulation. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Report, EPA 454/R-03-002d, 91 pp.

  • Council Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2008 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2008:152:0001:0044:EN:PDF.

  • Dix, A. (2006). Managing air outside of tunnels: contract no. 6400/3003. Report for The Rijkswaterstaat Department of Road and Hydraulic Engineering, The Netherlands. http://www.arnolddix.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/ref-3-Managing-air-outside-tunnels.pdf.

  • IFC (2007). Environmental, health, and safety general guidelines. International Finance Corporation. https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/554e8d80488658e4b76af76a6515bb18/Final+-+General+EHS+Guidelines.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.

  • Jacobs Consultancy (2011). Istanbul Strait Road Tunnel crossing traffic and revenue analysis. Revised final report.

  • Katsouyanni, K. (2003). Ambient air pollution and health. British Medical Bulletin, 68(1), 143–156.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma, J. Y., Yi, H. H., Tang, X. L., Zhang, Y., Xiang, Y., & Pu, L. (2013). Application of AERMOD on near future air quality simulation under the latest national emission control policy of China: a case study on an industrial city. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 25, 1608–1617.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council) (2008) Air quality in and around traffic tunnels. Final Report, EH42, 182 pp. https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/35134960?selectedversion=NBD43778982.

  • O’Shaughnessy, P. T., & Altmaier, R. (2011). Use of AERMOD to determine a hydrogen sulfide emission factor for swine operations by inverse modeling. Atmospheric Environment, 45, 4617–4625.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orru, H., Lövenheim, B., Johansson, C., & Forsberg, B. (2015). Potential health impacts of changes in air pollution exposure associated with moving traffic into a road tunnel. Journal of exposure science and environmental epidemiology, 25(5), 524–531.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • PIARC World Road Association (2004). Road tunnels: vehicle emissions and air demand for ventilation. Technical Committee 5 Road Tunnels, France, PIARC Ref.  05.14.BEN, ISBN : 2-84060-177-X, 72 pp.

  • PIARC World Road Association (2008). Road tunnels: a guide to optimising the air quality impact upon the environment. Technical Committee 3.3 Road Tunnel Operation, France, PIARC Ref. 2008R04EN, ISBN: 2-84060-204-0, 179 pp.

  • PIARC World Road Association (2012). Road tunnels: vehicle emissions and air demand for ventilation. PIARC Technical Committee C.4 Road Tunnel Operation, France, PIARC Ref.  2012R05EN, ISBN: 978-2-84060-269-5, 87 pp.

  • Poschl, U. (2005). Atmospheric aerosols: composition, transformation, climate and health effects. Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English), 44, 7520–7540.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roads and Maritime Services (2014). TP08: options for treating road tunnel emissions. Advisory Committee on Tunnel Air Quality, NSW Government, 12 pp. http://www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/54791/Road-Tunnels_TP08_Options_for_treating_road_tunnel_emissions.pdf.

  • Rood, A. S. (2014). Performance evaluation of AERMOD, CALPUFF, and legacy air dispersion models using the Winter Validation Tracer Study dataset. Atmospheric Environment, 89, 707–720.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Turkish Air Quality Standards (2008). Air quality evaluation and management guide, Official Gazette No 26898, June 6, 2008 (Annexes I and IA) in Turkish.

  • TUIK (2015). Turkish Statistical Institute, Ankara, Turkey. www.tuik.gov.tr. Accessed September 2018.

  • TUIK (2017). Turkish Statistical Institute, Ankara, Turkey. www.tuik.gov.tr. Accessed September 2018.

  • Tuygun, G. T., Altuğ, H., Elbir, T., & Gaga, E. E. (2017). Modeling of air pollutant concentrations in an industrial region of Turkey. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24(9), 8230–8241.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • USEPA (2018). AERMOD model formulation and evaluation, EPA-454/ R-18-003. https://www3.epa.gov/ttn/scram/models/aermod/aermod_mfed.pdf.

  • WHO (2006). Air quality guidelines for particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Global update 2006, WHO/SDE/PHE/OEH/06.02. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/69477/WHO_SDE_PHE_OEH_06.02_eng.pdf?sequence=1.

  • Yapı Merkezi R&D Department (2009). Geotechnical report of mixshield TBM part of Eurasia Tunnel Project. Submitted to Istanbul Strait Road Crossing Project, Istanbul, 586 pp.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express their thanks to the chairman of Yapı Merkezi Holding, Dr. Eng. Ersin Arıoğlu, the chairman of Eurasia Tunnel Operation, Construction and Investment Inc. Dipl. Eng. Başar Arıoğlu, and Yapı Merkezi board members for their support and academic interest. Recognition is also given to Eurasia Tunnel Operation, Construction and Investment Inc. members Dipl. Eng. Murat Gücüyener, Dipl. Eng. Badel Gün, Dipl. Eng. Aşkın Kaan Kaptan, and Dipl. Eng. Ceren Alaca Bayındır who were actively involved in the technical work and to Eng. Naim İşli, project management, and the crews on site. The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of all organizations involved in the project.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Environmental Sciences, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Turgut T. Onay, Nadim K. Copty & Derya Aydın-Sarıkurt

  2. Yapı Merkezi Construction and Industry Inc., Istanbul, Turkey

    Hasan Burak Gökçe & Ergin Arıoğlu

  3. Eurasia Tunnel Operation Construction and Investment Co. (ATAŞ), Istanbul, Turkey

    Melih Mumcu

Authors
  1. Turgut T. Onay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nadim K. Copty
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hasan Burak Gökçe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Derya Aydın-Sarıkurt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Melih Mumcu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Ergin Arıoğlu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Turgut T. Onay.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Onay, T.T., Copty, N.K., Gökçe, H.B. et al. Air quality impact assessment for the Eurasia Tunnel in Istanbul, Turkey. Environ Monit Assess 191, 195 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7340-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-019-7340-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation