Why Desert Sand Is Unsuitable for Concrete

At first glance, it seems like a bad joke: countries whose landscapes consist of endless dunes have sand shipped in from Australia, Egypt or Belgium. Yet this contradiction stems from a hard-nosed construction and industrial challenge - and from a global trade that has long since exceeded environmental limits.

Why desert sand is almost unusable for concrete

When people think of sand, they usually picture beaches, dunes and holidays. For engineers, however, sand is primarily a construction material. That is where the problem begins: not every type of sand is suitable for concrete, glass or high-tech products.

Desert sand on the Arabian Peninsula has been shaped by wind over thousands of years. Its grains are:

• very fine