Optimization Study on the Design Parameters of Sand Barriers along the Hami-Lop Nor Railway Line

Abstract

In order to solve the current problems of the single effect of traditional sand control measures, the high cost of cleaning and maintenance, and the inability to provide long-term sustainable protection, this paper proposes a new type of sand barrier with the dual effect of sand conduction and sand blocking. Through field research of wind and sand disasters along the Hami-Lop Nor Railway, wind tunnel testing and numerical simulation of the new sand barrier, the wind velocity flow field, wind speed variation curve, wind protection effectiveness and sand barrier retention rate of the new sand barrier under different design parameters were studied. The results show that the sand barrier with 10H spacing (H is the height of the sand barrier) has the worst sand guiding and blocking effect. The sand barriers with 6H and 8H spacing have less difference in sand guiding and sand blocking effects. Both of them are better than the sand barrier with 10H spacing. The sand blocking effect of the new sand barrier was proportional to the angle (α). The sand guide effect was the opposite. When the angle is certain, the greater the wind speed and the better the sand guide effect. The results show that the new sand barrier is different from the traditional sand barrier in that it has both sand guiding and sand blocking functions, which provides a new method and scientific basis for sand damage control of Hami-Lop Nor Railway.