Abstract: Tarim Desert Highway,with a length of 522 km,passes through the hinterland of Taklimakan Desert,the second largest shifting-sand desert in the world.It suffers from serious blown-sand hazard because of complex aeolian landforms,arid climate and frequent occurrence of efficient wind.In this paper,the main factors affecting horizontal and vertical distribution of blown-sand hazard along the highway are analyzed.Some results are concluded:Horizontal distribution of blown-sand hazard is mainly affected by differences of wind velocity and direction on the different types of aeolian landform.Certainly,human activities,such as construction of the highway and arrangement of preventing system,also influence it.Vertical distribution of blown-sand hazard is mainly affected by differences of wind intensity,sand sources,construction of the highway and ability of preventing system in the different parts of compound dunes.The highway falls into 5 geomorphologic units.They are,from north to south,Tarim River Fluvial Plain,Paleo-lacustrine Plain of the North Tarim Basin,Quaternary Relief-land of the Middle Tarim Basin,Yatongus Dry Delta and Niya Dry Delta(Northern Minfeng Uplift is contained) respectively.The assessment result shows that blown-sand hazard is serious in unit 1 and 3,moderate in unit 4,and slight in unit 2 and 5.Based on the data surveying in the field and landform analyzing,the relationship between the parts of compound dunes and degree of blown-sand hazard is put forward.With the highway passing through from top of dunes to the lower land,blown-sand hazard varies from serious to slight.It is estimated that the usable duration of semi-covered fences is less than 4 years at the top of compound dunes while about 8 years at the lower land.

Key words: Tarim Desert Highway, spatial distribution, wind-sand hazard