Application of Air Decks in Production Blasting to Improve Fragmentation and Economics of an Open Pit Mine

In blasting with air decks, repeated oscillation of shock waves within the air gap increases the time over which it acts on the surrounding rock mass by a factor at between 2 and 5. The ultimate effect lies in increasing the crack network in the surrounding rock and reducing the burden movement. Trials of air deck blasting in the structurally unfavourable footwall side of an open pit manganese mine has resulted in substantial improvements in fragmentation and blast economics. Better fragmentation resulted in improved shovel loading efficiency by 50–60%. Secondary blasting was almost eliminated. Use of ANFO explosive with this technique reduced explosive cost by 31.6%. Other benefits included reductions in overbreak, throw and ground vibration of the order of 60–70, 65–85 and 44% respectively. This paper reviews the theory of air deck blasting and describes in detail the air deck blast trials conducted in a manganese open pit mine in India. The blast performance data have been analysed to evaluate the benefits of air decking over conventional blasting.     

损伤条件下深部岩体巷道光面爆破参数研究

岩体条件复杂多变,为了提高光面爆破的适应性、改善光面爆破效果,对损伤条件下深部岩体巷道光面爆破参数进行研究。通过对深部岩体巷道光爆层原岩应力场、光面爆破机制和振动损伤特征进行分析,基于爆炸应力波和爆生气体综合作用理论,考虑高原岩应力和岩石损伤影响,提出了损伤条件下深部岩体巷道光面爆破参数确定的计算方法。研究表明, （1）高原岩应力相当于提高了岩石的抗拉强度,不利于炮孔初始裂纹的形成及贯通,宜减小周边眼间距;（2）岩石损伤后,其他条件不变,光面爆破的炮孔间距和抵抗线值可适当加大;（3）高原岩应力和损伤条件下,光面爆破的炮孔间距较小时,容易造成爆后围岩损伤,降低围岩的稳定性能,因此,提高爆破效果的同时应及时加强支护,以确保施工安全和围岩稳定;（4）本文提出的光面爆破参数计算公式,经现场爆破验证效果良好,适用于复杂多变的岩体环境。     

A Further Study on the Mechanism of Airdecking

Airdecking is used in mining for two quite different applications. One is to enhance the fragmentation by amplifying the induced fracturing and the second is for pre-split blasting in which the borehole fracturing is reduced. This paper deals with the first of these effects. A forth coming paper will describe pre-splitting by airdecking. The use of air decks to enhance rock fragmentation and so to reduce explosive costs has been the practice for quite long time. Although a number of studies has been conducted to verify the advantages of blasting with air decks and to investigate the mechanisms involved, the proposed mechanisms still cannot explain clearly the phenomena observed in practice and the design approach adopted for this kind of blasting is still primary based on rules-of-thumb. In this paper, the theory of shock tubes is adopted to (a) investigate the processes of the expanding detonation products, (b) study the interactions between the explosion products and the stemming or bottom of blasthole, and (c) to decide the distribution of the changing pressure of explosion products along blasthole. Numerical simulation and theoretical analyses are then performed to study the physical process of blasting with air decks. Finally, a reasonable value for the airdecking ratio is decided theoretically. It is shown that the pressure-unloading process caused by the propagation of the rarefaction wave and the reflected rarefaction waves in the detonation products plays an important role in the enhanced fragmentation of rock when blasting with air decks. The unloading process can induce tensile stresses of rather high magnitude in the rock mass surrounding blasthole. This favors fracturing of the rock. The reflected shock wave with a magnitude of gas pressure higher than that of the average detonation pressure in a fully charged blasthole acts as the main energy source to break the rock in the air deck and stemming portions. The second and succeeding strain waves induced by the unloading or reloading of the pressurewithin the blasthole also contribute to form the initial fracture network in the rock around the blasthole. It is also revealed that there exists a reasonable range of values for the airdecking ratio. For ANFO, this value varies from 0.13-0.40.     

Multivariate statistical analysis approach for prediction of blast-induced ground vibration

Excavation of coal, overburden, and mineral deposits by blasting is dominant over the globe to date, although there are certain undesirable effects of blasting which need to be controlled. Blast-induced vibration is one of the major concerns for blast designers as it may lead to structural damage. The empirical method for prediction of blast-induced vibration has been adopted by many researchers in the form of predictor equations. Predictor equations are site specific and indirectly related to physicomechanical and geological properties of rock mass as blast-induced ground vibration is a function of various controllable and uncontrollable parameters. Rock parameters for blasting face and propagation media for blast vibration waves are uncontrollable parameters, whereas blast design parameters like hole diameter, hole depth, column length of explosive charge, total number of blast holes, burden, spacing, explosive charge per delay, total explosive charge in a blasting round, and initiation system are controllable parameters. Optimization of blast design parameters is based on site condition and availability of equipment. Most of the smaller mines have predesigned blasting parameters except explosive charge per delay, total explosive charge, and distance of blast face from surface structures. However, larger opencast mines have variations in blast design parameters for different benches based on strata condition: Multivariate predictor equation is necessary in such case. This paper deals with a case study to establish multivariate predictor equation for Moher and Moher Amlohri Extension opencast mine of India. The multivariate statistical regression approach to establish linear and logarithmic scale relation between variables to predict peak particle velocity (PPV) has been used for this purpose. Blast design has been proposed based on established multivariate regression equation to optimize blast design parameters keeping PPV within legislative limits.     

空气间隔装药爆破机理研究

利用爆轰波理论分析了空气间隔装药炮孔内一维不定常激波的相互作用及其在炮孔堵头、孔底的反射过程,同时分析了孔内各点的压力随时间的变化过程,介绍了空气间隔装药爆破的机理及设计参数。基于此,认为应充分利用空气间隔爆破结构的优势,并在梯段爆破中满足以下两个条件：（1）在设计过程中要尽量使稀疏波及从孔底反射的稀疏波传播过程能在整个孔内每一断面都作用到,即稀疏波到达孔底的时间要比从堵头反射的压力波到达孔底要早;（2）反射压力波应该到达空气与爆生气体接触面的时间比从孔底反射的稀疏波到达空气与爆生气体接触面的时间要早。由此通过计算得到了在梯段爆破工程中合理的空气层长度比例值约为30 %～42 %。计算结论与已有实测成果基本一致。     

Mechanism of tracer blasting

Summary A variety of overbreak control techniques are used during excavation with the drill and blast system. Tracer blasting is used in Canadian underground mines to minimize blast damage and involves placing a low-strength detonating cord along the length of a blast hole prior to charging with ammonium nitrate-fuel oil (ANFO). The results of tracer blasting are not always consistent and its mechanism is only hazily comprehended. In the absence of a clearly defined mechanism, it is difficult to analyse the results of tracer blasting and to identify the factors responsible for the inconsistency of results.A series of bench blasts and pipe tests were carried out to investigate the mechanism of tracer blasting. The evidence indicated partial deflagration and desensitization of ANFO, thus reducing the total available explosive energy. The rock mass surrounding the traced blasthole experienced a low level of ground vibrations. As a result of the continuous side initiation of ANFO, energy partitioning was more in favour of gas energy. A mechanism of tracer blasting has been proposed and the factors responsible for the inconsistency of the results have been identified in this paper.     

Improving Collar Zone Fragmentation by Top Air-Deck Blasting Technique

Air gap in an explosive column has long been applied in open-pit blasting as a way of reducing explosive charge, vibration, fly rock and improve fragment size. In conventional blasting a greater amount of explosive energy is lost in the generation of oversize fragments. Oversize fragments reduces loading and hauling efficiencies of equipment which requires secondary blasting. Recurring oscillation of shock waves in the air gap increases the time over which it acts on the adjacent rock mass by factor of 2–5. Top air deck blasting technique trial conducted with an application of gas bags at Chimiwungo pit resulted in an improved fragmentation of about 94 % less than 950 mm. Results obtained from the analysis of muckpile images using split-desktop exhibited that the mean fragment size was 264.81 mm and F20, F80 and top-size were 41.99, 683.18 and 1454.69 mm respectively. Optimum crusher feed size was as large as 1200 mm and crushed down to the 40 mm and only a small percent of the material was above 1200 mm. Gas bag application resulted in a significant reduction in explosives load in production holes without loss in fragmentation or movement of the collar zone. This reduced total cost of charging as compared to conventional blasts with a variance of $20, powder factor was dropped to an average of 0.86 kg/bcm. The technique reduced the cost of bulk blend explosive by 15 %, reduced overall cost of charging per hole by 12 %, enhanced premature ejections. The overall blast results were satisfactory, 443,624 tonnes of blasted material from the block which represented 90 % of the total muckpile material was within 900 mm size. The overall muckpile blasted was well fragmented.     

岩石中柱状装药爆炸能量分布

岩石中装药爆炸产生的爆破能量可分为爆炸冲击波能量和爆生气体膨胀能量。对爆炸能量分布的理论分析有助于改善爆破效果,提高爆破质量。在柱状耦合装药情况下,分析了冲击波作用下岩石变形和破坏的特点、爆生气体对爆腔的扩腔作用,考虑了在岩体的损伤情况下爆生气体对裂纹的驱裂作用。计算结果表明：埋深在临界深度以下时,岩石中柱状装药爆破冲击波做功消耗的能量约占爆炸总能量的40 %,剩余爆生气体能量中用于扩腔和扩展主要裂隙的能量约占总能量的23 %,剩余大约37 %的能量中有小部分能量用于新增裂纹数目,而大部分损失掉了。     

The use of air decks in production blasting in an open pit coal mine

The influence of air deck blasting on blast performance and blast economics and its feasibility has been studied in the production blasting of soft and medium strength sandstone overburden rocks in an open pit coal mine in India. The air deck blasting technique was very effective in soft and medium strength rocks. Its main effects resulted in reducing fines, in producing more uniform fragmentation and in improving blast economics. The fines were reduced by 60–70% in homogeneous sandstones. Oversize boulders were reduced by 80% and shovel loading efficiency was improved by 20–40% in blocky sandstones. The explosive cost was reduced by 10–35% dependent on the type of rock mass. Throw, backbreak and ground vibration were reduced by 10–35%, 50–80% and 30–94% respectively. For a particular rock mass and blast design environment, air deck length (ADL) significantly influenced the fragmentation. ADL as represented by air deck factor (ADF) in the range of 0.10–0.35 times the original charge length (OCL) produced optimum results. ADF beyond 0.35 resulted in poor fragmentation and in inadequate burden movement.     

岩石爆破过程S波的产生机制分析

全面总结、分析了岩石爆破过程S波的产生机制,表明短柱状药包、炮孔周围岩体的开裂与破碎以及装药偏离球形或柱形空腔中心,均可诱发S波,并且诱发S波的幅值可超过P波;P波传播过程与岩体界面的相互作用,可产生次生的S波（透、反射SV波）。在此基础上,就爆破振动场模拟方法与计算模型选择中如何体现S波的产生机制方面提出了建议     

预裂爆破作用下岩石裂纹动态应力强度因子分析

通过有限元分析软件ANSYS数值模拟手段,分析了爆破荷载作用下,裂纹长度与类型、不同的装药量对裂纹尖端动态应力强度因子的影响以及预裂与光面爆破动态应力强度因子比较分析,计算得出：预裂爆破预裂缝的产生主要是从炮孔处产生的开口裂纹在冲击波以及爆生气体的作用下扩展形成的;随着药径与孔径比的增大,动态应力强度因子也逐渐增大,动态应力强度因子曲线形态不变;由于自由面的存在,光面爆破裂纹应力强度动态因子后续峰值较预裂爆破的大。     

Evaluation of initiating system by measurement of seismic energy dissipation in surface blasting

Enhanced demand for coal and minerals in the country has forced mine operators for mass production through large opencast mines. Heavy blasting and a large amount of explosive use have led to increased environmental problems, which may have potential harm and causes a disturbance. Ground vibrations generated due to blasting operations in mines and quarries are a very important environmental aspect. It is clear that a small amount of total explosive energy is being utilized in blasting for breakage of rock mass, while the rest is being wasted. The amount of energy which is wasted causes various environmental issues such as ground vibrations, air overpressure, and fly rock. Ground vibrations caused by blasting cannot be eliminated entirely, yet they can be minimized as far as possible through a suitable blasting methodology. A considerable amount of work has been done to identify ground vibrations and assess the blast performance regarding the intensity of ground vibrations, i.e., peak particle velocity and frequency spectrum. However, not much research has done into reducing the seismic energy wasted during blasting leading to ground vibrations. In this paper, the blast-induced ground vibrations in three orthogonal directions, i.e., transverse, vertical, and longitudinal, were recorded at different distances using seismographs. An attempt has been made for the estimation of the percentage of explosive energy dissipated in the form of seismic energy with electronic and non-electric (NONEL) initiation system. signal processing techniques with the help of DADiSP software is used to study the same.     

What Causes Cracks in Rock Blasting?

In blasting, a few or many cracks are driven from the borehole into the rock. But what causes the cracks? The most common theory of breakage consists of two stages; first the shock wave causes radial cracks to form around the hole then the gases penetrate into the cracks, and widen them and make them longer. Another theory presented by Brinkmann suggests that the back damage is primarily controlled by shock and that the gas penetration is the mechanism controlling breakout of the burden. He did his experimental work using blasthole liners. Recent research at SveBeFo has examined this matter further. In a quarry a number of benching holes have been blasted simultaneously. In some of these holes tubular Swellex bolts were inflated and decoupled charges put inside the tubes without stemming. Other holes were identically charged but without the lining. Finally some holes were also stemmed. After blasting the cracks in the remaining rock were studied. There was no difference in crack lengths between holes charged normally (no stemming) and holes where the charges were inside the bolts. On the other hand when stemming was used, the crack lengths increased for some explosives but remained the same for an emulsion explosive. In another set up blasted granite blocks were charged in the same way as above. Then we could also measure the bore hole pressure. The pressure gauge consists of a small carbon resistor inside a steel cylinder. It is called LHM (Location-fixed Hydrodynamic Measuring cup) and is placed at the bottom of the hole. A smaller exit hole from the bottom is drilled for the cables. The paper presents the technique and the results obtained from both the quarry blasting and the blasting of the blocks.     

A three dimensional model of muckpile formation and grade boundary movement in open pit blasting

Summary Formulation and case studies of a three dimensional kinematic model are presented. Thein situ overburden geometry can be simulated accurately and various initiation patterns of blasts can be modelled. The overburden geometry, hole patterns and explosive distribution are all explicit model inputs. Because the effect of explosive properties, rock mass condition and inter-row delay are very difficult to measure in terms of blast performance, these are represented in the model by control parameters which are left for calibration using field data. The output of the model is a three dimensional muckpile shape of any cross section and a contour map of grade distribution within the muckpile. Two case studies are presented which have shown that the model is a valuable tool for optimizing production blasting as well as for controlling grade dilution during blasting.     

单自由面爆破振动特征的炮孔堵塞长度效应

单自由面爆破条件下作用在岩体上的最有效破坏力小,而阻碍岩体破坏的作用力很大,使炮孔堵塞长度对爆破振动有较大影响。因此,研究单自由面爆破振动特征的炮孔堵塞长度效应有重要意义。进行了小规模的不同堵塞长度的单自由面爆破试验,并模拟了其爆破过程。研究表明,近距范围内爆破振动速度迅速衰减,中远距离爆破振动速度衰减趋缓;随着堵塞长度的增加,场地系数K不断增加,衰减指数? 总体呈上升趋势;数值模拟振动速度值与实测值误差在15%以内;爆破后不同堵塞长度模型的堵塞物底部空腔半径基本相等,约为装药半径的3倍;试验最优堵塞长度为15～20 cm,相同条件下无堵塞爆破对孔口有效应力场影响较大、对孔底有效应力场影响较小     

The mechanics of spall fracture in rock and concrete

Spalling is a wave-induced dynamic fracture phenomenon. The waves can be either one: elastic, elasto-plastic, or shock waves. From a continuum mechanics point of view, fracture mechanics and wave propagation form the main ingredients in the formation of spalls. Recently, however, micro-structural effects have become important in the initial stages of spall formation in a variety of engineering materials ranging from metals to rock and concrete. From a structural geology point of view, the rock mass cannot be modelled as a continuum. In this case, a discontinuum approach has to be taken where the individual features of the rock mass such as joints and faults need to be taken into account. From an application point of view, spallation is important where rapid loading by explosives, impact, or energy deposition, occurs. The range of applications stretches from blasting in mining engineering to damage prevention to structures under explosive excitation.

This contribution offers a multi-faceted and multi-disciplinary approach to the study of spalling with special attention to analytical and experimental work. The reader is assumed to be somewhat familiar with the basics of continuum mechanics, fracture mechanics, and propagation of elastic, plastic and shock waves. The application to rock and concrete will show the effects of structural geological discontinuities such as open and closed joints - and to some degree also faulting - in rock, as well as the micro-structure of concrete on the (shock) wave field.

Extensive use will be made of time-space diagrams which proved very useful in practical applications to blasting problems [Rossmanith, H.P., 2002, The use of Lagrange diagrams in precise initiation blasting. Part I: two interacting blastholes, Fragblast 6, 104-136].     

Using Electronic Detonators to Improve All-Round Blasting Performances

Over the past 18 months the De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd operations have made a concerted effort to move away from using the traditional shock tube initiating systems. These systems are being systematically replaced by the use of electronic delay detonators (EDD). Various trials were conducted in both host rock and kimberlite rock masses to improve tunnel advance as well as to optimise delay timing during trough openings [1-3]. The high cost of EDD's, when compared with traditional initiation systems, led to a number of detailed studies being conducted on the mines where EDD's were being used. These studies aimed to quantify the additional benefits when blasting with electronic detonators. The studies showed that the change was justified on the basis of increased quality control and reliability gained through the use of EDD's. However, these benefits attract other related benefits, like fragmentation control, and backbreak reductions. When compared to the shock tube initiating systems the increased development face advance and the reduction of oversize during production blasting using EDDs, compared favourably to the less costly systems. As blasting engineers gained experience and confidence in the use of the system bigger blasts were initiated in mass under-cut blasts and slot raise development, by using multiple hole firing and second delay periods between holes. In the open pit and sublevel open stope mining methods the control of the fragmentation distribution and the effect of the mass of explosive detonated during a blast is detrimental to the loading and hauling production rates and the stability of the rock mass behind the blast. With a stable rock mass the bench cutting can be executed to establish steeper overall slope angles leading to large cost savings due to a reduction in waste stripping. It is the purpose of this paper to indicate through quantification that the use of the EDDs as an initiating system improves all-round blasting performances and assists in meeting customer requirements. The customer being the ore treatment plant.     

不耦合装药下爆炸应力波传播规律的试验研究

通过室外爆破试验,利用预埋研制的PVDF压力传感器对耦合及水不耦合延长药包装药爆破时爆炸应力波的中远场压力进行测量,拟合实测结果,得到4种不耦合系数下爆炸应力波峰值随传播距离衰减的指数关系式。分析试验结果可知： ①在试验所涉及的范围内,不耦合装药时爆破应力波峰值衰减幅度小于耦合装药（即K =1）时爆破应力波峰值衰减幅度,验证了水介质作为炸药爆轰产物与岩体间的弹性缓冲层作用,减少了粉碎孔壁岩体造成的能量耗散,增加了能量传递,加大了爆炸的作用范围;②当不耦合系数K = 3.29时,应力波峰值衰减指数表现出大于K =1.79及大于K =2.57时应力波峰值衰减指数的趋势,表明过大的不耦合系数造成了不耦合介质--水过多的能量耗散（在高温高压下水并不完全是弹性的）,削弱了不耦合装药爆破的优势;③在不耦合装药爆破中,存在最佳的不耦合系数,此时爆炸应力波峰值衰减最慢,爆炸能得到充分利用,达到最优的爆破效果。研究结果对不耦合装药爆破的设计及工程应用有一定的指导意义。     

Prediction and controlling of flyrock in blasting operation using artificial neural network

Flyrock is one of the most hazardous events in blasting operation of surface mines. There are several empirical methods to predict flyrock. Low performance of such models is due to complexity of flyrock analysis. Existence of various effective parameters and their unknown relationships are the main reasons for inaccuracy of the empirical models. Presently, application of new approaches such as artificial intelligence is highly recommended. In this paper, an attempt has been made to predict and control flyrock in blasting operation of Sangan iron mine, Iran incorporating rock properties and blast design parameters using artificial neural network (ANN) method. A three-layer feedforward back-propagation neural network having 13 hidden neurons with nine input parameters and one output parameter were trained using 192 experimental blast datasets. It was also observed that in ascending order, blastability index, charge per delay, hole diameter, stemming length, powder factor are the most effective parameters on the flyrock. Reducing charge per delay caused significant reduction in the flyrock from 165 to 25 m in the Sangan iron mine.     

Optimization Methods of Blasting Parameters of Large Cross-Section Tunnel in Horizontal Layered Rock Mass

For large cross-section tunnel in horizontal layered rock mass, blasting excavation often causes serious overbreak and underbreak. In this study, blasting excavation tests of tunnel upper face were conducted, blast-induced excavation damage and the influence mechanisms of weak beddings and joints were analyzed based on the Panlongshan tunnel. In order to achieve fine excavation, the cut mode of “center holes and four-wedge cutting holes”, the blasthole pattern of “empty holes, long holes, short holes and additional relief holes”, the maximum single-hole charge and the air-deck charge structure were proposed. Compared with the damage characteristics, overbreak and underbreak, and deformations of surrounding rock before and after optimization, the latter was better in tunnel contour formation and surrounding rock stability. The results show that after optimization, the large-area separation of vault rock mass is solved, the step-like overbreak of spandrel rock mass is reduced and the large-size rock block and underbreak are avoided. The maximum linear overbreak of vault, spandrel, and haunch surrounding rock is decreased by 42.3%, 53.7% and 45.1%, respectively. The underbreak at the bottom of the upper face is reduced from ??111.5 to ??16.5 cm. The average overbreak area is decreased by 61.1%. The surrounding rock displacement after optimization finally converges to the smaller value. The arch crown settlement and the horizontal convergence of haunch are reduced by about 21.6% and 18.3%, respectively. Furthermore, from the completion of blasting excavation to the stabilization of surrounding rock, it takes less time by using the optimized blasting scheme.