Urban Air Quality Modelling using Finite Elements

Abstract

[EN]Urban air quality simulation requires models with di erent characteristics to those used in mesoscale or microscale. The spatial discretisation resolution is one of them. Urban geometries require smaller elements than those in other scales. Mesh for this kind of geometries are generated using the Meccano method; a mesh generator that has generated high-quality meshes of complex geometries [1]. In this work, we have added capabilities to insert buildings into the mesh maintaining the element quality. Wind eld should also be suitable for urban scale. To this end, we will use a mass-consistent model [2]. Thisapproximation has performed e ciently in microscale problems, coupling with mesoscale numerical weather prediction models. Finally, an adaptive nite element method is used to simulate the convection-di usion-reaction equation [3, 4]. The problem can be convectiondominant, so it is stabilised using a Least-Squares nite element method. The resulting matrix is symmetric and is solved using the Conjugate Gradient method preconditioned with an incomplete Cholesky factorisation. The model is applied to the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.