Designing and constructing a railway through the Taklamakan Desert, the second largest shifting sand desert in the world, is a significant challenge for experts.
Taklamakan Desert is located in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. Spanning approximately 330,000 square kilometers, Taklamakan is the second largest shifting sand desert globally, featuring sand dunes that rise several dozen to hundreds of meters high.
Despite its complex terrain, a special railway line called the Hotan – Ruoqiang Railway has been built across the Taklamakan Desert. According to Mr. Yang Baorong, the chief designer of the Hotan – Ruoqiang Railway, “The length of this railway is 825 kilometers. We used nearly 2 tons of drawing paper to map out the design.”
Approximately 1,300 years after the journey of the monk Xuanzang to retrieve Buddhist scriptures, the only railway encircling the desert in China was constructed here.
Taklamakan is the second largest shifting sand desert in the world. (Photo: Shutterstock).
The Taklamakan Desert is considered an important stop along the ancient Silk Road. However, constructing a railway in this desert is far from easy.
Water is essential for building the foundation of such a railway. Unfortunately, the nearest water source is located 130 kilometers away from the construction site. Moreover, once laid down in the desert, water is quickly absorbed by the sand. Therefore, building a railway here is nearly impossible.
So, why does China want to construct a railway in the harsh Taklamakan Desert?
In reality, during the seven months from March to August each year, flights are canceled, and highways are closed due to sandstorms. The residents living south of the Taklamakan Desert are almost isolated from the outside world. Thus, in this harsh natural environment, the railway is the only stable mode of transportation.
Challenges of Building a Railway in the Desert
However, a solid foundation is required for railway construction. How is a solid foundation built on shifting sand dunes?
Experts note that the sand in the desert is very soft, making construction difficult. Mr. Wang Jinzhong, the construction manager of the Hotan – Ruoqiang Railway, states, “The simplest way is to make the soft sand more solid.”
Engineers found that when the sandy ground contains 12–16% water and is continuously compacted by rollers, a solid foundation layer will form. After that, engineers need to lay a grid frame on the foundation at intervals of 60 centimeters for reinforcement. This process will be repeated several times.
To build the 825-kilometer railway through the Taklamakan Desert, experts had to overcome numerous difficulties. (Photo: Global Times)
When the surface of the foundation can withstand a pressure of 150 kPa per meter, it will be solid enough for trains to run over. However, engineers still face many other challenges. About 65% of this 825-kilometer railway is located in areas with high winds and sand, where sand dunes shift at an average rate of 20 meters per year.
To mitigate the risks from sinking sand, five elevated bridges (49.7 kilometers long) ranging from 15 to 30 meters high were built in the windiest areas. This way, the shifting sand beneath the railway will not affect train operations.
Additionally, experts used 50 million square meters of grass planting nets and planted approximately 13 million desert-resistant trees to protect the railway.
The Hotan – Ruoqiang Railway began operations on June 16, 2022. This route starts from the city of Hotan (in the southwest) and ends in the Ruoqiang County (in the southeast of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region). Traveling at a speed of 120 km/h and passing through 22 stations, the journey from Hotan to Ruoqiang takes about 11 hours and 26 minutes.
The construction of the Hotan – Ruoqiang Railway promises to provide residents living in this desert with uninterrupted access to transportation, while also facilitating cargo transport and promoting development in the areas through which the railway passes…
