Comprehensive Analysis of PM2.5 Pollution from Construction Activities

Graduation date: 2018The Construction industry is one of the most hazardous industries in the US.\ud Construction workers, on a daily basis, are exposed to numerous risks while performing a\ud range of activities involving construction, alteration, and/or repair. Dust and diesel exhaust\ud emissions from construction equipment are considered harmful to the workers in the long\ud run. Several studies have highlighted the ill-effects of constant exposure to diesel fumes and\ud dust, but without directly relating to the conditions at a construction site. This thesis\ud evaluates the concentration levels of PM2.5 on a construction site in Central Western Oregon\ud and their relation with weather conditions. The paper also analyses the different PM2.5\ud concentrations the equipment operators are exposed to in the presence and absence of closed\ud operator cabins. The concentration levels of PM2.5 were measured using an aerosol monitor,\ud TSI DustTrak II 8530. The measuring device was placed inside the operator cabin while\ud collecting data from an excavator and inside the DustTrak II 8535 enclosure while collecting\ud data from an open, cabinless dozer. The conclusions from this study presented the impact of\ud weather on the concertation levels of PM2.5. The study revealed that temperature had\ud minimal impact on particle matter pollution while precipitation had a significant negative\ud correlation with the same. The research also found that the operators inside an enclosed cabin\ud were exposed to higher levels of PM2.5 than those working in an open cabin. This thesis also\ud presents several strategies that can be used by construction professionals to mitigate\ud emissions from construction equipment