NORDUST : Nordic Road Dust Project

Road dust is an important contributor to airborne particle pollution, especially in the Nordic countries where high road surface wear, due to studded tyre use as well as winter maintenance and operations including sanding and salting are important contributors. Even though the road dust problems are similar, the countries have tackled different parts of the problem with different research approaches, resulting in a complex knowledgebase in need of compilation. A former project, NORTRIP, started this work and implemented the knowledge into an emission model with a specially elaborated road dust focus. The model work has been used to identify knowledge gaps, intended to be filled within the NorDust project.Laboratory tests and controlled and uncontrolled field measurements as well as parametrisation and modelling have been used as tools to find, describe and implement issues concerning road dust formation, suspension and dynamics and road operation effects on emissions in facilities and sites in finland and Sweden. The NORTRIP model has been implemented and evaluated in Iceland, not previously involved in the model development, to identify input data needs.The project has resulted in an array of findings, of which some have been possible to implement in new parametrisations in the NORTRIP model. In the complex research area of road dust dynamics, the project has also resulted in a lot of practical experiences concerning experimental and measurement designs and evaluation possibilities that future research will be able to benefit from.