Abstract: The S214 Highway, also called as the Kaomi Highway, was on the southeastern edge of the Kuluktag Desert in Xinjiang and passed though the Taitema playa. This region was dry, with strong wind and the supply of plentiful sand. Besides, the moving dunes were widely distributed and moved fast. Therefore, the blown-sand disasters caused a serious threat to highway transportation. In this paper, through the fixed location observation of the wind-sand disaster and the quantificational analysis of soil water and salinity in this region, the stretches of road where damaged extremely serious by blown-sand disasters were ascertained. Based on this, the feasible sandstorm protection measures and shelterbelts were proposed to combat the wind-sand disaster. The results showed that the sandy desertification zone had obvious single wind direction (ENE and NE), and also had occasional reverse sand activity. This region had extremely high frequency of sand-driving wind, sand transporting capacity and sediment transport rate. Therefore, this region belonged to high energy-large ratio wind energy environment. The content of soil moisture and salt increased from the sandy desertification zone to the desert-oasis ecotones. Some areas were extremely loose sand layers, and some areas were tight salt shells. It was determined that the section from K4+900 to K18+200 was a sandstorm hazard protection zone. Combined with the resistance-solid-transmission design, the mechanical-plant composite sand control system had obvious anti-sand effect and ensured the safe transportation of the road. In the end, the construction mode of blown-sand control system of highway in this area with strong wind and high salt could provide reference for sand control in similar environmental areas.

Key words: Taitema playa, extreme environment, sand-blown hazard, wind dynamic characteristics, comprehensive sand control system