The Canary Islands are a radon-prone volcanic territory in Spain. The radon gas concentrations in the enclosed areas must be considered in terms of human health. Measurements of radon in the selected tunnel structures of Gran Canaria and Tenerife are taken to evaluate radon gas activity and possible harmful effects on workers if the advised radon concentrations are exceeded. Although there is a tendency toward high radon values on objects that are in contact with the ground, the obtained results show radon concentrations under the European regulatory limit concentrations (300 Bq/m3). Average radon values measured with both passive and active detectors are less than 55 Bq/m3. Properties of the intermediate media that separates the ground from the tunnel, which in this case is concrete, seems to be a deciding factor for the observed low radon concentrations.
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Research Article|
March 10, 2025
Is concrete gunning in volcanic tunnelling effective in reducing the presence of radon gas? Experience in road tunnels, the Canary Islands (Spain)
Juan C. Santamarta;
Juan C. Santamarta
*
1
Departamento de Ingeniería Agraria y del Medio Natural
, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL)
, Tenerife, Spain
*
Correspondence: [email protected]
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Noelia Cruz-Pérez;
Noelia Cruz-Pérez
1
Departamento de Ingeniería Agraria y del Medio Natural
, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL)
, Tenerife, Spain
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Rafael J. Lario-Bascones;
Rafael J. Lario-Bascones
2
Departamento de Ingeniería Geológica y Minera, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Minas y Energía
, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)
, Madrid, Spain
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Ana Anzulović;
Ana Anzulović
3
Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering
, University of Zagreb
, Zagreb, Croatia
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Jesica Rodríguez-Martín;
Jesica Rodríguez-Martín
4
Departamento Técnicas y Proyectos en Ingeniería y Arquitectura
, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL)
, Tenerife, Spain
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Joselin S. Rodríguez-Alcántara;
Joselin S. Rodríguez-Alcántara
1
Departamento de Ingeniería Agraria y del Medio Natural
, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL)
, Tenerife, Spain
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Luis E. Hernández-Gutiérrez
Luis E. Hernández-Gutiérrez
5
Consejería de Obras Públicas, Vivienda y Movilidad
, Gobierno de Canarias
, Spain
6
Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias, INVOLCAN
, Tenerife, Spain
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Juan C. Santamarta
*
1
Departamento de Ingeniería Agraria y del Medio Natural
, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL)
, Tenerife, Spain
Noelia Cruz-Pérez
1
Departamento de Ingeniería Agraria y del Medio Natural
, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL)
, Tenerife, Spain
Rafael J. Lario-Bascones
2
Departamento de Ingeniería Geológica y Minera, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Minas y Energía
, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)
, Madrid, Spain
Ana Anzulović
3
Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering
, University of Zagreb
, Zagreb, Croatia
Jesica Rodríguez-Martín
4
Departamento Técnicas y Proyectos en Ingeniería y Arquitectura
, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL)
, Tenerife, Spain
Joselin S. Rodríguez-Alcántara
1
Departamento de Ingeniería Agraria y del Medio Natural
, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL)
, Tenerife, Spain
Luis E. Hernández-Gutiérrez
5
Consejería de Obras Públicas, Vivienda y Movilidad
, Gobierno de Canarias
, Spain
6
Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias, INVOLCAN
, Tenerife, Spain
*
Correspondence: [email protected]
Publisher: Geological Society of London
Received:
08 Feb 2024
Revision Received:
25 Nov 2024
Accepted:
22 Jan 2025
First Online:
21 Feb 2025
Online ISSN: 2041-4803
Print ISSN: 1470-9236
Funding
- Funder(s):Government of the Canary Islands
- Award Id(s): A21100141
- Award Id(s):
© 2025 The Author(s). Published by The Geological Society of London. All rights, including for text and data mining (TDM), artificial intelligence (AI) training, and similar technologies, are reserved. For permissions: https://www.lyellcollection.org/publishing-hub/permissions-policy. Publishing disclaimer: https://www.lyellcollection.org/publishing-hub/publishing-ethics
© 2025 The Author(s)
Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology (2025) 58 (2): qjegh2024-031.
Article history
Received:
08 Feb 2024
Revision Received:
25 Nov 2024
Accepted:
22 Jan 2025
First Online:
21 Feb 2025
Citation
Juan C. Santamarta, Noelia Cruz-Pérez, Rafael J. Lario-Bascones, Ana Anzulović, Jesica Rodríguez-Martín, Joselin S. Rodríguez-Alcántara, Luis E. Hernández-Gutiérrez; Is concrete gunning in volcanic tunnelling effective in reducing the presence of radon gas? Experience in road tunnels, the Canary Islands (Spain). Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology 2025;; 58 (2): qjegh2024–031. doi: https://doi.org/10.1144/qjegh2024-031
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