Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 24, 2026
05:58
Author Spotlight: Advancing Coral Culture - Creating a Semi-Quantitatively Controlled Microenvironment System to Counter Current Limitations
Published on: July 21, 2023
2.7K
Sand hazards on tourist beaches.
1Bowling Green State University, School of Human Movement, Sport and Leisure Studies, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA. theggie@bgsu.edu
Travel Medicine and Infectious Disease
|January 8, 2013
Summary
Beach sand environments pose significant risks. Sand collapses in holes, dunes, and tunnels have caused tourist deaths and near-deaths, highlighting the need for greater safety awareness beyond water hazards.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Safety
- Tourism Hazards
- Geological Risks
Background:
- Beaches are popular tourist destinations globally.
- Traditional beach safety primarily focuses on water-related incidents.
- Growing concern exists regarding risks within the beach's sand environment.
Observation:
- This study examines eight cases of tourist injury or death.
- Incidents involved the sudden collapse of sand structures like holes, dunes, and tunnels.
- Complete burial in sand was the direct cause of injury or fatality.
Findings:
- The sand environment presents significant, often overlooked, dangers to beachgoers.
- Sudden sand collapses can lead to severe outcomes, including fatalities.
- Eight documented cases underscore the lethal potential of sand structures.
Implications:
- Beach safety protocols need to expand to include sand-related hazards.
- Increased awareness and preventative measures are crucial for tourist safety.
- Further research into sand stability and risk mitigation is warranted.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Survey Safety
461
Surveying near highways, rough terrain, or power lines involves significant risks. Working along highways is particularly dangerous and requires the use of warning signs and flagmen. It is safest to avoid working directly on roads and use offsets whenever possible. When highway work is unavoidable, it must follow all safety guidelines. Surveyors should wear bright clothing, such as orange reflective vests, to ensure visibility to motorists, coworkers, and hunters. In construction zones, wearing...
461
01:25Deleterious Substances in Aggregate
670
Deleterious substances in aggregates can be detrimental to the quality and durability of concrete. These substances include organic impurities like loam, which interfere with cement hydration and are usually present in the sand. These prevent a good bond between aggregate and cement paste. Organic impurities can be detected using the colorimetric test, where the darkness of a solution after agitation indicates the level of organic content.
Another type of impurity is clay and fine material that...
Another type of impurity is clay and fine material that...
670
01:22Effect of Sea Water on Concrete
1.2K
Concrete exposed to seawater can undergo degradation like the dissolution of ettringite and gypsum, increasing the material's porosity and decreasing its strength. In contrast, the crystallization of salts within the concrete's pores can cause expansion, particularly above the waterline where evaporation occurs. Nonetheless, this expansion only happens when seawater, enabled by the concrete's permeability, manages to infiltrate the structure.
Concrete in areas between tide marks,...
Concrete in areas between tide marks,...
1.2K
01:23Abrasion Resistance of Concrete
701
Abrasion resistance is an essential characteristic of concrete that determines its durability and longevity under various wear conditions. Concrete surfaces are vulnerable to different types of abrasion. For instance, surfaces may wear down due to the constant movement of vehicles or be eroded by solids carried in water, as seen in concrete canal linings. Specific tests are conducted to measure the abrasion resistance of concrete.
One such test is the revolving disc test, where three plates...
One such test is the revolving disc test, where three plates...
701
01:24Design Example: Aggregate Gradation
366
The right type and quality of aggregates are crucial for concrete as they significantly influence its properties, mix proportions, and cost-effectiveness. If different sources are available for sand, the commonly used fine aggregate in concrete, the selection of sand is primarily based on its gradation.
The grading, or particle-size distribution, of sand is determined using sieve analysis, with standard sizes ranging from 150 μm to 10 mm (ASTM No. 100 sieve to 3⁄8 in. sieve). Sand is...
The grading, or particle-size distribution, of sand is determined using sieve analysis, with standard sizes ranging from 150 μm to 10 mm (ASTM No. 100 sieve to 3⁄8 in. sieve). Sand is...
366
01:22Toughness and Hardness of Aggregate
796
Toughness and hardness are critical properties of aggregate materials used in concrete, particularly on pavement surfaces and industrial flooring subjected to heavy loads. Toughness is defined as the aggregate's resistance to failure by impact and is measured by the aggregate impact value (AIV). For this, the aggregate impact value test is performed, wherein the impact is delivered by a standard hammer, which falls freely under its own weight onto the aggregates. The aggregates fragment in...
796