Experimental study on a combined sand barrier: Integration of porous mesh plate and novel porous sand-fixing bricks

Wind and sand disasters frequently impact the newly constructed railroad along the Hongyi line in Qinghai Province's Qaidam Basin. The existing wind and sand prevention measures, primarily comprising polyethylene (PE) nets, have shown limited effectiveness. To this end, this study introduces an innovative combined sand barrier: A new type of porous sand fixing bricks (PSBs) are made from local aeolian sand, arranged in a square grid like low vertical sand barrier, and combined with a high vertical porous mesh plate (PMP) to form a combined sand barrier. Wind tunnel experiments were conducted to optimize the combined sand barrier's structure. The results indicate that incorporating porous sand-fixing brick sand barrier (PSBSB) on the leeward side of the PMP substantially impacts the near-surface flow field and plays a crucial role in decreasing wind velocity while enhancing sand control. The PSBSB with five rows of PSBs, positioned 18H from the PMP's leeward side, maximizes windproof and sand control efficiencies. Notably, the PSBs exhibit excellent selfstability under wind load, eliminating the need for additional fixing measures. This combined sand barrier presents a replicable, cost-effective solution for wind-blown sand disaster prevention in aeolian sand regions like the Hongyi line, promising advancements in sand barrier technology.