Sand & dust movement

CFD in support of simulating sand and dust movement

The EOLIOS Ingénierie brief

Against a backdrop of climate change, growing urbanisation and pressure on natural environments, mastering the phenomena linked to the wind transport of particles — sand, dust, powdered materials — is becoming a major issue for the sustainability of projects.

At EOLIOS, our expertise in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) allows us to model the movement of these particles under the action of the wind precisely, anticipate their impacts and design solutions tailored to each environment.

Through an approach combining on-site measurements and numerical simulation, we offer concrete answers to secure installations, preserve ecosystems and improve quality of life.

CFD expertise for modelling particle movement

Understanding particle dynamics to secure and optimise projects

The movement of sand and dust is a natural phenomenon influenced by the weather conditions, the site morphology and human activities. In coastal, desert or industrial areas, these movements can compromise the stability of structures, generate health nuisances or alter the landscape. EOLIOS draws on its skills in fluid mechanics and numerical modelling to analyse these phenomena finely and propose suitable development solutions.

Complex mechanisms linked to the wind-ground interaction

Wind erosion is the result of multiple processes: lifting of the particles, transport by saltation or suspension, and deposition. These phenomena vary according to the grain size, the soil moisture, the vegetation cover, the surface obstacles and, above all, the intensity and direction of the wind. EOLIOS studies all these parameters through a combined approach of field measurements and CFD modelling.

Air-ground interactions of the sand particles

Our engineers assess the risks of deposition on sensitive structures (roads, rails, technical buildings), the potential erosion zones (embankments, beaches, dunes), and the dust plumes from industrial activities or earthworks.

Measurement and simulation

On-site measurements: identifying the sources and quantifying the flows

The first steps of a diagnosis consist in characterising the real environmental conditions: wind speed and direction, humidity, soil roughness, physical obstacles. EOLIOS deploys weather sensors, anemometers, dust monitors (PM10, PM2.5) and mobile-sand collection devices to quantify the wind-driven flows.

These data make it possible to identify the emission source zones (bare areas, construction sectors, mobile dunes) as well as the preferential transport corridors. On-site measurement also forms an essential basis for calibrating the numerical models.

CFD modelling: trajectories, accumulations and sensitive zones

The CFD simulations reproduce the interactions between the airflow and the transported solid particles. As needed, EOLIOS uses suitable models to simulate the different grain sizes, their settling velocity and their behaviour in the presence of obstacles. These models incorporate the effects of turbulence, the ground-level velocity gradients, the roughness and the temporal evolution of the wind, and precisely map the erosion zones, the transport corridors and the deposits at the foot of structures.

Applications and use cases

Protecting the built environment and managing the burial risk

In coastal or desert areas, sand flows can jeopardise the stability of infrastructure (fences, roads, railways, technical buildings). Our studies determine the expected accumulation heights, the low-mixing zones conducive to deposition, and assess the durability of the existing protections (wind-break nets, embankments, fencing). Specific simulations optimise the placement of screens, vegetation or anti-erosion materials.

Industrial dust: limiting the health and environmental impact

On quarry, storage or powdered-material processing sites, dust emissions create health risks for workers, nuisances for residents and damaging deposits. EOLIOS analyses the dust dispersion under real conditions (strong wind, moving machinery, extraction) and proposes corrective actions: orientation of the stockpiles, misting, planting, airflow barriers. The results are interpreted against the air-quality standards and the local regulatory requirements.

Accumulation zones and factory dust build-up

End-to-end support

Combining real data, modelling and domain expertise

The EOLIOS approach integrates every dimension of the phenomenon: field knowledge, state-of-the-art instrumentation, advanced numerical analysis and interpretation by specialised engineers. This combination provides reliable, operational diagnoses, directly usable for designing or optimising projects.

Our deliverables include dynamic maps of particle flows, 3D visualisations of the at-risk zones, erosion or deposition indicators, and technical recommendations (placement of screens, planting, modification of topographic profiles).

Expertise: the air-pollution impact study