Diffusion of radon through cracks in a concrete slab

A mathematical model is developed to describe diffusion of radon through cracks or gaps in concrete slabs which are used in building foundations. As radon approaches the soil surface from underlying soil, it encounters a concrete slab. The radon will diffuse toward any air-filled cracks. The rate of exhalation through a portion of a cracked slab is determined and compared to the rate of exhalation from the same surface area of bare soil. In a typical case, this ratio is approx. 0.25. This is about a 20-fold increase to the ratio found when the concrete slab has no cracks. Therefore crack pathways are potentially a major source of indoor radon. (author)