In semi-arid and arid regions, civil engineers may be required to plan measures, such as sand fences, to control sand movement affecting developed areas or transportation corridors. In this paper, considering the desertification process for the Minqin Oasis in Gansu Province, China, the design of sand fences and overall sand control strategies to lessen the rate of desertification are discussed. A sand transport model called MOSAND was developed to predict the sand transport rate for the Minqin Oasis. The model was based on a bed load transport (creep and saltation) equation and a logarithmic velocity profile for the wind. Using the measured wind data for the Minqin area, a monthly average sand transport rate was calculated that was used to determine an effective life span of a 3 m high sand fence. Sand fences in conjunction with straw checkerboard sand barriers are recommended to control sand drifts into the Minqin Oasis.
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