Uses for Sandbags

Erosion Prevention

• As soil moves due to wind or water, erosion occurs, negatively impacting roadways, beaches and drainage systems. Soil in water leads to pollution in waterways. Sandbags help prevent erosion when they are packed and placed near roadways in danger of collapsing because of erosion. On beaches, sandbag structures provide a short-term fix, providing temporary reefs, groynes, breakwaters, headlands or revetments on sand beaches. As storm waves pound the beach, sandbags prevent the shoreline from eroding away.

Flood Control

• During a flood season, you dig dikes that are short and low to the ground, and fill them with sandbags. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recommends building dikes with widths at the base that are three times the dike's height and filling with as many sandbags as necessary. The sandbags stack on top of one another and pack side by side tightly to prevent water seepage. Once finished, a sheet of plastic seals the sandbags and improves water tightness.

Military Fortifications

• In World War I, sandbags became an invariable part of protecting trenches. They stacked two to three feet deep at the front and rear of trenches. The sandbags protected troops by catching enemy fire. They also protected soldiers slightly from the back-blast of shells falling around the trench line. In World War II, sandbags also protected military defenses. An article published in 1939 shows dozens of sandbags stacked around the Venus de Milo statue in an effort to save the historic sculpture from becoming rubble.

Earthbag Building

• Structures made from sandbags or earthbags provide eco-friendly solutions for building houses and other structures. Earthbags become the foundation for walls, which are then sealed with cement stucco. Once the house receives its first coat of paint, you never realize that the inside of the walls actually contains large sandbags. In Earthbag Building: The Tools, Tricks and Techniques by Kaki Hunter, sandbags allow for special design, creating tree-free, wood-free structures with arched and domed rooftops.