Protective benefits of HDPE board sand fences in an environment with variable wind directions on Gobi surfaces:wind tunnel study

The Golmud-Korla Railway in the Gobi area faces operational challenges due to sand hazards,caused by strong and variable winds.This study addresses these challenges by conducting wind tunnel tests to evaluate the protective benefits of High Density Polyethylene(HDPE)board sand fences,focusing on their orientation relative to various wind directions(referred to as'wind angle').This study found that the size of the low-velocity zone on the leeward side of the sand fences(LSF)expanded with an increase in the wind angle(WA).At 1H(the height of the sand fence)and 2H positions on the LSF,the wind speed profiles(WSP)exhibited a segmented logarithmic growth,constrained by Z=H at varying WAs.The efficacy of the sand fence in obstructing airflow escalated as WA increased.The size of the WA has a significant impact on the protective efficiency of HDPE board sand fences.Furthermore,compared to typical sandy surfaces,the rate of sand transport across the Gobi surface diminishes more slowly with height,attributed to the gravel's rebound effect.This phenomenon allows some sand particles to bypass the fences,rendering them less effective at blocking wind and trapping sand than in sandy environments.This paper offers scientific evidence supporting the practical use and enhancement of HDPE board sand fences in varied wind conditions.

Investigation on Temperature Field Calibration and Analysis of Wind Tunnel

For wind tunnels,it is essential to conduct temperature and flow field calibration on their test section,which is an important indicator for evaluating the quality of wind tunnel flow fields.In the paper,a truss composed of temperature sensors was used to calibrate the temperature field of a completed wind tunnel section.By adjusting the distance between the temperature measurement truss and the nozzle,as well as the wind speed,the temperature field distribution data at different positions could be obtained.Analyze these data to identify important factors that affect the distribution of temperature field.Simultaneously,the temperature field of the wind tunnel was simulated accordingly.The purpose is to further analyze the fluid heat transfer between air and wind tunnel walls through numerical simulation.Through the above analysis methods,the quality of the temperature field in the wind tunnel has been further verified,providing reference for future wind tunnel tests of relevant models.

Effects of sand sedimentation and wind erosion around sand barrier:Numerical simulation and wind tunnel test studies

Based on numerical simulations,this study highlights the sedimentation and erosion problems around a sand barrier through the relationship between the shear stress of the surface around the sand barrier and the critical shear stress of sand grains.The numerical simulation results were verified using data measured by the wind tunnel test.The results showed that when the porosity was the same,the size and position of the vortex on the leeward side of the sand barrier were related to the inlet wind speed.As the wind speed increased,the vortex volume increased and the positions of the separation and reattachment points moved toward the leeward side.When the porosity of the sand barrier was 30%,the strength of the acceleration zone above the sand barrier was the highest,and the strength of the acceleration zone was negatively correlated with the porosity.Sand erosion and sedimentation distance were related to wind speed.With an increase in wind speed,the sand grain forward erosion or reverse erosion areas on the leeward side of the sand barrier gradually replaced the sedimentation area.With an increase in porosity,the sand sedimentation distance on the leeward side of the sand barrier gradually shortened,and the sand erosion area gradually disappeared.The sand sedimentation distance on the leeward side of the sand barrier with 30%porosity was the longest.The numerical simulation results were in good agreement with the wind tunnel test results.Based on the sand erosion and sedimentation results of the numerical simulation and wind tunnel test,when the porosity was 30%,the protection effect of the High Density Polyethylene(HDPE)board sand barrier was best.

Exploration of playa surface crusts in Qehan Lake, China through field investigation and wind tunnel experiments

Globally,many lakes are drying up,leaving exposed lakebeds where wind erosion releases dust and sand rich in salt and harmful heavy metals into the atmosphere.Therefore,understanding the characteristics and spatial distribution of playa surface crusts is important to recognize the manifestation of salt dust storms.The objective of this study was to explore the playa surface crust types as well as their spatial distribution and evolution of Qehan Lake in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,China to understand the salt dust release potential of different types of playa surface crusts.Various crust characteristics were investigated by field sampling in Qehan Lake,and playa surface crusts were further divided into five types:vegetated areas,salt crusts,clay flats,curly crusts,and margins.It should be noted that curly crusts were distributed in clay flats and covered only a small area in Qehan Lake.The spatial distribution characteristics of playa surface crust types were obtained by supervised classification of remote sensing images,and the salt dust release potential of crusts was explored by the wind tunnel experiments.The field investigation of Qehan Lake revealed that playa surface crust types had a circum-lake band distribution from the inside to the outside of this lake,which were successively vegetated areas,clay flats,salt crusts,and margins.The spatial distribution patterns of playa surface crust types were mainly controlled by the hydrodynamics of the playa,soil texture,and groundwater.There was a significant negative correlation between crust thickness and electrical conductivity.The results of the wind tunnel experiments showed that the initial threshold of friction wind velocity for the salt dust release was higher in clay flats(0.7–0.8 m/s)than in salt crusts(0.5–0.6 m/s).Moreover,the particle leap impact processes occurring under natural conditions may reduce this threshold value.Salinity was the main factor controlling the difference in the initial threshold of friction wind velocity for the salt dust release of clay flats and salt crusts.This study provides a scientific reference for understanding how salt dust is released from a lakebed,which may be used for ecological restoration of dry salt lakes.

Effects of wind speed,underlying surface,and seed morphological traits on the secondary seed dispersal in the Tengger Desert,China

The maintenance of sand-fixing vegetation is important for the stability of artificial sand-fixing systems in which seed dispersal plays a key role.Based on field wind tunnel experiments using 11 common plant species on the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert,China,we studied the secondary seed dispersal in the fixed and semi-fixed sand dunes as well as in the mobile dunes in order to understand the limitations of vegetation regeneration and the maintenance of its stability.Our results indicated that there were significant variations among the selected 11 plant species in the threshold of wind speed(TWS).The TWS of Caragana korshinskii was the highest among the 11 plant species,whereas that of Echinops gmelinii was the lowest.Seed morphological traits and underlying surface could generally explain the TWS.During the secondary seed dispersal processes,the proportions of seeds that did not disperse(no dispersal)and only dispersed over short distance(short-distance dispersal within the wind tunnel test section)were significantly higher than those of seeds that were buried(including lost seeds)and dispersed over long distance(long-distance dispersal beyond the wind tunnel test section).Compared with other habitats,the mobile dunes were the most difficult places for secondary seed dispersal.Buried seeds were the easiest to be found in the semi-fixed sand dunes,whereas fixed sand dunes were the best sites for seeds that dispersed over long distance.The results of linear mixed models showed that after controlling the dispersal distance,smaller and rounder seeds dispersed farther.Shape index and wind speed were the two significant influencing factors on the burial of seeds.The explanatory power of wind speed,underlying surface,and seed morphological traits on the seeds that did not disperse and dispersed over short distance was far greater than that on the seeds that were buried and dispersed over long distance,implying that the processes and mechanisms of burial and long-distance dispersal are more complex.In summary,most seeds in the study area either did not move,were buried,or dispersed over short distance,promoting local vegetation regeneration.

NARX-GA-Elman Method for Mach Number Prediction of Wind Tunnel Flow Field

Mach number is a key metric in the evaluation of wind tunnel flow field performance.This complex process of wind tunnel test mainly has the problems of nonlinearity and time lag.In order to overcome the problems and control the Mach number stability,this paper proposes a new method of Mach number prediction based on a nonlinear autoregressive exogenous-genetic algorithm-Elman(NARX-GA-Elman)model,which adopts NARX as the basic framework,determines the order of the input variables by using the false nearest neighbor(FNN),and uses the dynamic nonlinear network Elman to fit the model,and finally uses the global optimization algorithm GA to optimize the weight thresholds in the model to establish the Mach number prediction model with optimal performance under single working condition.By comparing with the traditional algorithm,the prediction accuracy of the model is improved by 61.5%,and the control accuracy is improved by 55.7%,which demonstrates that the model has very high prediction accuracy and good stability performance.

Mach Number Prediction for a Wind Tunnel Based on the CNN-LSTM-Attention Method

The test section’s Mach number in wind tunnel testing is a significant metric for evaluating system performance.The quality of the flow field in the wind tunnel is contingent upon the system's capacity to maintain stability across various working conditions.The process flow in wind tunnel testing is inherently complex,resulting in a system characterized by nonlinearity,time lag,and multiple working conditions.To implement the predictive control algorithm,a precise Mach number prediction model must be created.Therefore,this report studies the method for Mach number prediction modelling in wind tunnel flow fields with various working conditions.Firstly,this paper introduces a continuous transonic wind tunnel.The key physical quantities affecting the flow field of the wind tunnel are determined by analyzing its structure and blowing process.Secondly,considering the nonlinear and time-lag characteristics of the wind tunnel system,a CNN-LSTM model is employed to establish the Mach number prediction model by combining the 1D-CNN algorithm with the LSTM model,which has long and short-term memory functions.Then,the attention mechanism is incorporated into the CNN-LSTM prediction model to enable the model to focus more on data with greater information importance,thereby enhancing the model's training effectiveness.The application results ultimately demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach.

Design and Wind Tunnel Study of a Top-mounted Diverterless Inlet

Combined with a UAV of the shape like Global Hawk, a new inlet is advanced to obtain high performance in both Radar Cross Section(RCS) and aerodynamic drag. Efforts are made to achieve this goal such as adopting a top-mounted inlet configuration, utilizing the diverterless technique and putting forward a new shape of entrance. A design method is brought forward and verified by wind tunnel tests. Results indicate: (1) Despite the negative effect of the front fuselage and the absence of the conventional boundary diverter, the performance of the top-mounted diverterless inlet advanced here(Ma:0.50-0.70, α:-4°-6°,σ>0.975) is equivalent to that of conventional S shaped inlet with diverter; (2) The integration of the inlet with the fuselage is realized by the utilization of a special inlet section and the diverterless technique, which disposes the whole inlet in the shield of the head of UAV, improving the drag characteristics and the stealthy performance of the aircraft; (3) The bump which is equal to the local boundary layer thickness in height can divert the boundary layer effectively. As a result, no obvious low total pressure zone is found at the outlet of the inlet; (4) According to the experimental results, negative angle of attack is favorable to the total pressure recovery and positive angle of attack is favorable to the total pressure distortion, while yaw brings bad effects on both; (5) The design of cowl lip is of great importance to the inlet performance at yaw, therefore, further improvement of the inlet performance will rely on the lip shapes of the cowl chosen.

Effect of ambient wind on pressure wave generated by high-speed train entering a tunnel

Using three-dimensional, unsteady N-S equations and k-ε turbulence model, the effect of ambient wind on the pressure wave generated by a high-speed train entering a tunnel was studied via numerical simulation. Pressure changes of the train surface and tunnel wall were obtained as well as the flow field around the train. Results show that when the train runs downwind, the pressure change is smaller than that generated when there is no wind. When the train runs upwind, the pressure change is larger. The pressure change is more sensitive in the upwind condition than in the downwind condition. Compared with no wind condition, when the wind velocity is 10 m/s and 30 m/s, the pressure amplitude on the train head is reduced by 2.8% and 10.5%, respectively. The wall pressure amplitude at 400 m away from the tunnel entrance is reduced by 2.4% and 13.5%, respectively. When the wind velocity is-10 m/s and-30 m/s, the pressure amplitude on the train head increases by 3.0% and 17.7%, respectively. The wall pressure amplitude at 400 m away from the tunnel entrance increases by 3.6% and 18.6%, respectively. The pressure waveform slightly changes under ambient wind due to the influence of ambient wind on the pressure wave propagation speed.

A wind tunnel simulation of the dynamic processes involved in sand dune formation on the western coast of Hainan Island

The western coast of Hainan Island exhibits a savanna landscape. Many types of sand dunes, including transverse dune ridges, longitudinal dune ridges, elliptical dunes, coppice dunes, and climbing dunes, are widely distributed in the coastal zone. In winter, high-frequency and high-energy NE winds （dominant winds） are prevalent, with a resultant drift direction （RDD） of S35.6°W. In spring, low-frequency and low-energy SW secondary winds prevail, with a RDD of N25.1°E. Wind tunnel simulations revealed that the airflow over the dune surface is the main factor controlling the erosion and deposition patterns of dune surfaces and the morphological development of dunes. In the region＇s bidirectional wind environment, with two seasonally distinct energy levels, the airflow over the surface of elliptical dunes, barchan dunes, and transverse dune ridges will exhibit a transverse pattern, whereas the airflow over longitudinal dunes ridges exhibits a lateral pattern and that over climbing dunes exhibits a climbing-circumfluent pattern. These patterns represent different dynamic processes. The coastal dunes on the western coast of Hainan Island are influenced by factors such as onshore winds, sand sources, coastal slopes, rivers, and forest shelter belts. The source of the sand that supplements these dunes particularly influences the development pattern： when there is more sand, the pattern shows positive equilibrium deposition between dune ridges and dunes; otherwise, it shows negative equilibrium deposition. The presence or absence of forest shelter belts also influences deposition and dune development patterns and transformation of dune forms. Coastal dunes and inland desert dunes experience similar dynamic processes, but the former have more diversified shapes and more complex formation mechanisms.

Wind tunnel experiments on dust emissions from different landform types

The measurement and assessment of dust emissions from different landforms are important to understand the atmospheric loading of PM10 （particulate matter ≤10 μm aerodynamic diameter） and to assess natural sources of dust; however, the methodology and technique for determining the dust still present significant research challenges. In the past, specialized field observation and field wind tunnel studies have been used to understand the dust emission. A series of wind tunnel tests were carried out to identify natural sources of dust and measure the magnitudes of dust emissions from different landforms. The method used in this study allowed the measurement of the PM10 emission rate using a laboratory based environmental boundary layer wind tunnel. Results indicated that PM10 emissions demonstrated strong temporal variation and were primarily driven by aerodynamic entrainment. Sand dunes, playa, and alluvial fans had the largest dust emission rates （0.8-5.4 mg/（me.s）） while sandy gravel, Gobi desert and abandoned lands had the lowest emission rates （0.003-0.126 mg/（m2.s））. Dust emissions were heavily dependent on the surface conditions, especially the availability of loose surface dust. High dust emissions were a result of the availability of dust- particle materials for entrainment while low dust emissions were a result of surface crusts and gravel cover. Soil surface property （surface crusts and gravel cover） plays an important role in controlling the availability of dust-sized particles for entrainment. The dust emission rate depended not only on the surface conditions but also on the friction velocity. The emission rate of PM10 varies as a power function of the friction velocity. Although dynamic abrasion processes have a strong influence on the amount of dust entrainment, aerodynamic entrainment may provide an important mechanism for dust emissions. Large volumes of dust entrained by aerodynamic entrainment cannot only occur at low shear velocity without saltation, but may dominate the entrainment process in many arid and semi-arid environments. So it may also be responsible for large magnitude dust storms. Playa and alluvial fan landforms, prior to developing a surface crust, may be the main sources of dust storms in Qinghai Province.

Experiment about Drag Reduction of Bionic Non-smooth Surface in Low Speed Wind Tunnel

The body surface of some organisms has non-smooth structure, which is related to drag reduction in moving fluid. To imitate these structures, models with a non-smooth surface were made. In order to find a relationship between drag reduction and the non-smooth surface, an orthogonal design test was employed in a low speed wind tunnel. Six factors likely to influence drag reduction were considered, and each factor tested at three levels. The six factors were the configuration, diameter/bottom width, height/depth, distribution, the arrangement of the rough structures on the experimental model and the wind speed. It was shown that the non-smooth surface causes drag reduction and the distribution of non-smooth structures on the model, and wind speed, are the predominant factors affecting drag reduction. Using analysis of variance, the optimal combination and levels were obtained, which were a wind speed of 44 m/s, distribution of the non-smooth structure on the tail of the experimental model, the configuration of riblets, diameter/bottom width of i mm, height/depth of 0.5 mm, arranged in a rhombic formation. At the optimal combination mentioned above, the 99% confidence interval for drag reduction was 11.13% to 22.30%.

An Investigation into the Effects of the Reynolds Number on High-Speed Trains Using a Low Temperature Wind Tunnel Test Facility

A series of tests have been conducted using a Cryogenic Wind Tunnel to study the effect of Reynolds number(Re)on the aerodynamic force and surface pressure experienced by a high speed train.The test Reynolds number has been varied from 1 million to 10 million,which is the highest Reynolds number a wind tunnel has ever achieved for a train test.According to our results,the drag coefficient of the leading car decreases with higher Reynolds number for yaw angles up to 30º.The drag force coefficient drops about 0.06 when Re is raised from 1 million to 10 million.The side force is caused by the high pressure at the windward side and the low pressure generated by the vortex at the lee side.Both pressure distributions are not appreciably affected by Reynolds number changes at yaw angles up to 30°.The lift force coefficient increases with higher Re,though the change is small.At a yaw angle of zero the down force coefficient is reduced by a scale factor of about 0.03 when the Reynolds number is raised over the considered range.At higher yaw angles the lift force coefficient is reduced about 0.1.Similar to the side force coefficient,the rolling moment coefficient does not change much with Re.The magnitude of the pitching moment coefficient increases with higher Re.This indicates that the load on the front bogie is higher at higher Reynolds numbers.The yawing moment coefficient increases with Re.This effect is more evident at higher yaw angles.The yawing moment coefficient increases by about 6%when Re is raised from 1 million to 10 million.The influence of Re on the rolling moment coefficient around the leeward rail is relatively smaller.It increases by about 2%over the considered range of Re.

Effects of different poses and wind speeds on flow field of dish solar concentrator based on virtual wind tunnel experiment with constant wind

In order to improve structure performance of the dish solar concentrator,a three-dimensional model of dish solar concentrator was established based on the high-precision numerical algorithms.And a virtual wind tunnel experiment with constant wind is adopted to investigate the pressure distribution of the reflective surface,velocity distribution of the fluid domain for the dish solar concentrator in different poses and wind speeds distribution.Some results about wind pressure distribution before and after dish solar concentrator surface and wind load velocity distribution in the entire fluid domain had been obtained.In particular,it is necessary to point out that the stiffness at the center of the dish solar concentrator should be relatively raised.The results can provide a theoretical basis for the improvement of solar concentrator dish structure as well as the failure analysis of dish solar concentrator in engineering practice.

Wind tunnel simulation of the effects of freeze–thaw cycles on soil erosion in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Intense freezing and thawing actions occur in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau because of its high elevation and cold temperature. The plateau＇s unique environment makes it easy to generate wind erosion under dry, windy weather conditions, resulting in the emergence ofdesertification. As a major form of freeze-thaw erosion, freeze-thaw and wind erosion is displayed prominently on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Therefore, in this study, soil samples were collected from the surface of the plateau to undergo freeze-thaw and wind erosion simulation experiments. Results show that wind erosion strength increases with an increasing number of freeze-thaw cycles, water content in the freezing-thawing process, and the difference in freeze-thaw temperatures. Therefore, in the conditions of water participation, the main reason for the freeze-thaw and wind erosion in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the damage to the soil structure by repeated, fierce freeze-thaw actions, and the sand-bearing wind is the main driving force for this process. The research results have theoretical significance for exploring the formation mechanism of freeze-thaw and wind erosion in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and provide a scientific basis for freeze-thaw desertification control in the plateau.

Wind tunnel test on the effect of metal net fences on sand flux in a Gobi Desert, China

The Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-speed Railway runs through an expansive windy area in a Gobi Desert, and sand-blocking fences were built to protect the railway from destruction by wind-blown sand. However, the shielding effect of the sand-blocking fence is below the expectation. In this study, effects of metal net fences with porosities of 0.5 and 0.7 were tested in a wind tunnel to determine the effectiveness of the employed two kinds of fences in reducing wind velocity and restraining wind-blown sand. Specifically, the horizontal wind velocities and sediment flux densities above the gravel surface were measured under different free-stream wind velocities for the following conditions： no fence at all, single fence with a porosity of 0.5, single fence with a porosity of 0.7, double fences with a porosity of 0.5, and double fences with a porosity of 0.7. Experimental results showed that the horizontal wind velocity was more significantly decreased by the fence with a porosity of 0.5, especially for the double fences. The horizontal wind velocity decreased approximately 65% at a distance of 3.25 m（i.e., 13 H, where H denotes the fence height） downwind the double fences, and no reverse flow or vortex was observed on the leeward side. The sediment flux density decreased exponentially with height above the gravel surface downwind in all tested fences. The reduction percentage of total sediment flux density was higher for the fence with a porosity of 0.5 than for the fence with a porosity of 0.7, especially for the double fences. Furthermore, the decreasing percentage of total sediment flux density decreased with increasing free-stream wind velocity. The results suggest that compared with metal net fence with a porosity of 0.7, the metal net fence with a porosity of 0.5 is more effective for controlling wind-blown sand in the expansive windy area where the Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-speed Railway runs through.

Wind tunnel experiment of drag of isolated tree models in surface boundary layer

For very sparse tree land individual tree was the basic element of interaction between atmosphere and the surface. Drag of isolated tree was preliminary aerodynamic index for analyzing the atmospheric boundary layer of this kind of surface. A simple pendulum method was designed and carried out in wind tunnel to measure drag of isolated tree models according to balance law of moment of force. The method was easy to conduct and with small error The results showed that the drag and drag coefficient of isolated tree increased with decreasing of its permeability or porosity. Relationship between drag coefficient and permeability of isolated tree empirically was expressed by quadric curve.

Wind tunnel measurement of aerodynamic characteristics of trains passing each other on a simply supported box girder bridge

The aerodynamic performance of high-speed trains passing each other was investigated on a simply supported box girder bridge,with a span of 32 m,under crosswinds.The bridge and train models,modeled at a geometric scale ratio of 1:30,were used to test the aerodynamic forces of the train,with the help of a designed moving test rig in the XNJD-3 wind tunnel.The effects of wind speed,train speed,and yaw angle on the aerodynamic coefficients of the train were analyzed.The static and moving model tests were compared to demonstrate how the movement of the train influences its aerodynamic characteristics.The results show that the sheltering effect introduced by trains passing each other can cause a sudden change in force on the leeward train,which is further influenced by the wind and running speeds.Detailed analyses related to the effect of wind and train speeds on the aerodynamic coefficients were conducted.The relationship between the change in aerodynamic coefficients and yaw angle was finally described by a series of proposed fitting formulas.

Piezoelectric Vibration Control in Wind Tunnel Tests

In wind tunnel tests,long cantilever stings are usually used to support aerodynamic models.However,this kind of sting support system is prone to vibration problems due to its low damping,which limits the test envelope and affects the data quality.It is shown in many studies that the sting vibration can be effectively reduced by using active sting dampers based on piezoelectric actuators.This paper attempts to review the research progress of piezoelectric vibration control in wind tunnel tests,covering the design of active sting dampers,control methods and wind tunnel applications.First of all,different design schemes of active sting dampers are briefly introduced,along with the vibration damping principle.Then,a comprehensive review of the control methods for active sting dampers is presented,ranging from classic control methods,like PID control algorithm,to various intelligent control methods.Furthermore,the applications of active sting dampers and controllers in different wind tunnels are summarized to evaluate their vibration damping effect.Finally,the remaining problems that need to be solved in the future development of piezoelectric vibration control in wind tunnel tests are discussed.

Reinvestigation of the scaling law of the windblown sand launch velocity with a wind tunnel experiment

Windblown sand transport is a leading factor in the geophysical evolution of arid and semi-arid regions.The evolution speed is usually indicated by the sand transport rate that is a function of launch velocity of sand particle,which has been investigated by the experimental measurement and numerical simulation.However,the obtained results in literatures are inconsistent.Some researchers have discovered a relation between average launch velocity and wind shear velocity,while some other researchers have suggested that average launch velocity is independent of wind shear velocity.The inconsistence of launch velocity leads to a controversy in the scaling law of the sand transport rate in the windblown case.On the contrary,in subaqueous case,the scaling law of the sand transport rate has been widely accepted as a cubic function of fluid shear velocity.In order to explain the debates surrounding the windblown case and the difference between windblown and subaquatic cases,this study reinvestigates the scaling law of the vertical launch velocity of windblown transported sand particles by using a dimensional analysis in consideration of the compatibility of the characteristic time of sand particle motion and that of air flow.Then a wind tunnel experiment is conducted to confirm the revisited scaling law,where the sand particle motion pictures are recorded by a high-speed camera and then the launch velocity is solved by the particle tracking velocimetry.By incorporating the results of dimensional analysis and wind tunnel experiment,it can be concluded that,the ratio of saltons number to reptons number determines the scaling law of sand particle launch velocity and that of sand transport rate,and using this ratio is able to explain the discrepancies among the classical models of steady sand transport.Moreover,the resulting scaling law can explain the sand sieving phenomenon:a greater fraction of large grains is observed as the distance to the wind tunnel entrance becomes larger.