Arid Zone Research ›› 2022, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (5): 1663-1672.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2022.05.30

• Ecology and Environment • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Transport law and control system of wind-blown sand along the desert highway of South Xinjiang Tazhong-38th Corp

MA Benteng1(),CHENG Jianjun1(),LEI Jiaqiang2,DING Bosong1,GAO Li1,An Yuanfeng1,ZHENG Zhipeng1   

  1. 1. College of Water Conservancy & Architectural Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, Xinjiang, China
    2. Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2022-01-26 Revised:2022-05-09 Online:2022-09-15 Published:2022-10-25
  • Contact: Jianjun CHENG E-mail:1409786063@qq.com;chengdesign@126.com

Abstract:

The Tazhong-38th Corp Desert Highway, currently under construction, extends from the hinterland of Taklamakan Desert to its southeastern edge. Different degrees of wind and sand hazards are distributed along the whole route, posing serious threats to the construction, service, and maintenance of the desert highway. Based on remote sensing image interpretation and wind data analysis, the wind and sand environment characteristics and dune movement rules in different sections of the desert highway were assessed, and a corresponding sand hazard prevention system framework is proposed. Our analysis showed that the prevailing wind directions along the desert highway are NE, ENE, and E, and the frequency of sandy wind increases from 21.7% to 33.8%. The wind direction characteristic develops from sharp bimodal to blunt bimodal, and the wind and sand hazards gradually become more severe: the drift potential along the section ranges from 178.23 to 309.43 VU, the wind energy environment is low to medium, the resultant drift direction is between SW-WSW, and the wind direction variation rate is medium. The annual average dune movement speed is between 3.16 and 6.26 m.a-1, and there are obvious spatial differences in dune movement speed and direction. The consistency between dune movement direction and the resultant drift direction is poor in some sections. Based on the above environmental characteristics of the desert highway sections, a sand control system for the desert highway, combining blocking and solidification, is proposed. The results of our study have practical application value in the development of prevention and mitigation measures for desert highway sand damage.

Key words: desert highway, sand damage management, drift potential, dunes movement