Abstract:

The movement of loose sand by wind is considered a destructive phenomenon in dry regions, leading to damage to buildings, agricultural land, and transportation lines. Therefore, the creation and development of control and countermeasures against this natural phenomenon are essential. Alongside petroleum mulch, which poses numerous environmental challenges, clay mulch can be presented as a suitable solution for stabilizing this destructive phenomenon.

To investigate this, a project was implemented in the southeastern region of the country, involving the construction of a diversion dam and the transfer of floodwaters into sandy hills for sediment deposition. Subsequently, the stabilization of sediment on the sandy soils can be proposed as an effective covering method. Hydraulic and geotechnical studies were conducted, including meteorological and hydrological assessments and drilling operations up to 30 meters deep to gather soil mechanics data.

Among the significant concerns in the design of these structures are the conditions of liquefaction and quicksand. By constructing a diversion dam made of gabion and earthen structures, while considering all technical aspects of this soil texture and establishing hydraulic connections among the sandy hills, 60% of the total erosion-prone areas were improved by 77% and stabilized.