English
Noun
running sand (uncountable)
- (construction) Saturated sand which flows into an excavation or void due to water pressure.
1946 January and February, “Notes and News: Demolition of Rhydyfelin Viaduct”, in Railway Magazine, page 53:During the construction of the viaduct, the sinking of the caissons in the river bed caused much difficulty to the engineer and contractors, as a bed of running sand was encountered; in consequence, the expenditure for these foundations proved almost prohibitive.