Predicting Railway Sand Drifts Using Meteorological Data

Abstract

This article investigates the patterns of sand drift formation on railway infrastructure located in arid zones. The study analyzes the dependence of track encroachment intensity on atmospheric process parameters, with a particular focus on moisture deficit in regions prevalent with dune sands. The research establishes a mathematical correlation between a decrease in annual precipitation and the maximization of sand accumulation on the track superstructure. Reduced moisture in the top sand layer causes a loss of cohesion, thereby intensifying deflation processes under wind loads. The findings enable the prediction of critical periods of track susceptibility to sand drifts and can be applied to optimize the design of protective structures and improve the scheduling of track clearing operations.