DUST CONTROL IN SAUDI ARABIA

File: DOC_87_DUST_CONTROL_IN_SAUDI_ARABIA_003.txt
Page: 003
Total Pages: 8
moves.   The finest soil particles eventually are washed to the

sea.   With interior desert drainage, the infrequent rains merely

move line particles to the center of the desert bowl    Deserts

thu~ accumulate dust sized particles    Wind is a constant feature

of the desert climate.    Due to high daily temperature ranges

(low 770F to high 13~0F) and great aerial temperature variations,

pressure qradients continuously form.   The resulting winds are

the predominant force for moving soil.   ~s soil particles are

blown across the desert surface they are gradually worn to v~ry

small sizes (<  .~6 mm).  Since the weathering process aflects all

particles small enough to be moved by wind we find particles

smaller than 4mm eventually being worn into dust size particles.

Thus in Saudi ~rabia we confront an environment of extreme heat,

low humidity, high wind, with uniformly small grain sizes

~LTER~~T I YES

    Manuals available for technical guidance including TM5-33~,

TM5-83~-3 and FM5-541 list a number of method~ to control dust.

~fter considering the harsh environmental conditions.  however,

the options are reduced drastically.   ~ review of these existing

methods is quite useful:

Mats and Membranes   ~irfield matting (eg M19, ~M2) and membranes

(eg T17) will effectively prevent dust.   Their only drawback is

cost.   Since it isn t economical to mat areas adAacent to runways

and helipads   some other form of control must be used around the

matting