An inspiration for poets and authors, explorers and adventurers, the vast Arabian Desert is one of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet. It is hard not to be moved by its dramatic land or its seemingly endless sea of sand dunes (沙丘). However, limiting the physical movement of these natural desert wonders themselves is an almost impossible task.
Strong winds that blow up through these wide-open spaces sweep the surface, reshaping large sand dunes at will. In addition, running water from winter rains carves fresh patterns into the desert floor. The unique geography and constant flow of sand presents a set of challenges to the early settlements, particularly since many of them are situated in remote desert locations.
Fortunately, a discipline exists that traces its roots back to some of the earliest known civilizations, and which has also helped settlers there build safe, stable structures. Known as geotechnical engineering, it involves using geological knowledge to solve engineering problems and it is helping preserve desert operations through breakthroughs in sand and soil stabilization, without harming the natural environment.
Experts have piloted a new method of sand control that involves spraying chemicals onto sand around facilities where there is an absence of vegetation or biodiversity. Thus, a hard coat is created that prevents the sand from moving. This has proven so successful that it will cover a total of 700 square kilometers in the upcoming projects. The chemicals hold sand in place for between three to five years without influencing the environment, at which point another coat can be applied if required. We are now using predictive modeling and satellite imaging to determine the effectiveness of the approach, while trials have been scheduled to assess whether it can be applied to access roads und pipeline routes as well.
But as technology advances, so too must our approach to urban development. And as the science of materials progress, we can expect to see more examples of changing the way we connect with our surroundings.
