Dynamic behaviour of high-speed rail fastenings in the presence of desert sand

•Fastening system characterisation for railway under extreme conditions (sandstorms).•The tested fastening system is not designed to work in the presence of sand.•A slight change in the rail pad design could improve its dynamic behaviour in sand.•The presence of sand modifies the mechanical properties of the fastening system.•The sand does not affect the mechanical properties of individual system components. High-speed lines in Saudi Arabia are subjected to sandstorms. These environmental conditions are not established at laboratory level. This work studies the influence of the presence of sand on the dynamic behaviour of the fastening system. So the evolution of the system is analysed under simulated sandstorm conditions and it is compared with the standard one. Results indicate that the presence of sand in the fastening system generates wear on the sleeper and increases the stiffness after the fatigue test. However, this fact does not modify both the mechanical behaviour and the durability of the individual elements.