Safer Qatari Sandfill site thanks to sand dike in snapback zone

The best ideas are those that make you wonder ‘why didn’t we think of this sooner?’ For example, what about building a sand dike in the snapback zone to absorb the blow in the event that a line does snap?

This idea from Chris Niemeyer has been used in the Coastguard project ‘The Base’ in Qatar, where a canal with six islands was built to promote tourism. Barges of sand and rocks sail to the various islands (cut and fill). Dumpers then drive the material to the site. The ropes used to moor the barges are under tension when the dumpers drive on and off. Warning signs placed near the mooring point indicate the danger of the snapback zone. A sand dike was built as an additional safety measure. Simple, effective and cheap.

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