[Objective] The windbreak and sand fixation effects of common composite sand barriers of mechanical sand barriers + Haloxylon ammodendron along desert highways were investigated in order to provide a basis for material selection and structural optimization of sand control systems along desert highway. [Methods] Four types of composite sand barriers were selected along the desert highway in the aeolian sand corridor along Yabulai Mountain: straw checkerboard barrier + H. ammodendron, mesh barrier + H. ammodendron, 25 cm branch barrier + H. ammodendron, and 50 cm branch barrier + H. ammodendron. A single H. ammodendron shrub without a sand barrier was used as the control. Field measurements and numerical simulations were used to analyze the characteristics of the near-surface airflow field under different configurations. Meanwhile, transported sand particles were collected for particle size analysis, erosion-deposition morphology within barrier zones was measured, and soil moisture content was monitored. The protective effect of composite sand barriers was then analyzed and evaluated. [Results] ① The surface roughness and friction velocity exhibited gradient differences among different configurations. The overall protective capacity ranked as mesh barrier > 50 cm branch barrier > 25 cm branch barrier > straw checkerboard barrier > CK. For the mesh barrier, the surface roughness and friction velocity were 1.33 cm and 0.97 m/s. For CK, the corresponding values were 0.01 cm and 0.45 m/s.② The nearsurface airflow field generally exhibited a spatial distribution pattern characterized by reduced wind velocity on the leeward side, the formation of a low-velocity zone behind the barrier, and gradual recovery downstream. The lowvelocity zone persisted within the H. ammodendron distribution area(L=5—10, where L is the horizontal distance). At a height of 20 cm and L=15, the wind velocity was 3.8 m/s for the mesh barrier and above 5.0 m/s for CK.③ The particle size composition of transported sand differed significantly among different configurations. In CK, coarse sand accounted for 38.6%, whereas under the mesh barrier, fine particles accounted for 61.4%. The erosion-deposition parameters differed significantly among the barrier zones. Shallow soil moisture conditions were improved under the composite sand barriers. In the 20—30 cm soil layer, the moisture content was 3.51% under the 50 cm branch barrier and 3.55% under the mesh barrier. [Conclusion] The sand barrier + H. ammodendron composite system significantly enhances the windbreak and sand fixation effects, improves nearsurface airflow, and promotes sand deposition and shallow soil moisture retention. In engineering applications, the layout and maintenance of this system should be optimized according to the spatial zoning of wind-sand intensity along desert highways.