Porewater pressure increases in soil and rock from underground chemical and nuclear explosions

A review and analysis of chemical and nuclear explosive-induced porewater pressure increases and induced rise in groundwater table elevations (groundwater mounding) is presented. Our analysis indicates that residual pore pressure increases and groundwater mounding can be induced by underground chemical and nuclear explosions to scaled distances of 879 m/(kt)^1/3. This relationship is linear over seven orders of magnitude of explosive energy ranging from a 0.01 kg chemical explosion to a 100 kt nuclear explosion and is valid for a wide variety of saturated geological profiles. Underground chemical explosions, and probably underground nuclear explosions have the potential to induce liquefaction of water-saturated soils to scaled distances of about 260 m/(kt)^1/3.     

An innovative priming system - emulsion-based booster

The mineral industry is leading towards a technology driven optimization process. Drilling and blasting are such unit operations in a mine, which can alter the balance sheet of the mine if not planned properly. The development, improvement and utilization of innovative technologies in terms of blast monitoring instruments and explosives technology are important for cost effectiveness and safety of mineral industries.

The ever-growing demand for minerals has compelled the industry to adopt large opencast projects using heavy equipment. This has necessitated use of a few hundred tonnes of explosives in each blast. The bulk delivered fourth generation explosives have solved the problem of explosive loading to a large extent as it provides improved safety in manufacturing, transportation and handling. Bulk delivered emulsion is non-explosive until gasification is complete and a large quantity of explosive can be transported and loaded into blast holes efficiently and with safety. The priming of bulk delivered explosives in Indian mines uses the conventional PETN/TNT-based boosters. The conventional booster possesses safety problems in terms of handling and use, so Indian Explosives Ltd has developed an emulsion-based booster (Powergel Boost).

This paper explores the potential of an emulsion-based booster used as a primer to initiate bulk delivered emulsion explosives used in mines. An attempt has been made at a comparative study between the conventional booster and the emulsion-based booster in terms of the initiation process developed and their capability of developing and maintaining a stable detonation process in the column explosives. The study has been conducted using a continuous velocity of detonation (VOD) measuring instrument, the VODMate two channel system manufactured by Instantel Inc. of Canada. During this study three blasts were monitored. In each blast two holes were selected for study, the first hole was initiated using a conventional booster while the other one used an emulsion-based booster. The findings of the study advocates that the emulsion-based booster is capable of the efficient priming of bulk delivered column explosive with a stable detonation process in the column.     

Economic and design considerations for explosive overburden casting

Summary An overview of economics and design consideration for explosive overburden casting is given and the criteria for the successful application of this technique are discussed. These criteria are: blast design, economic considerations and environmental considerations. Explosive overburden casting may effect considerable cost savings if the market for increased production is available. However, if a fixed sales constraint exists the economic benefits of explosive overburden casting may be marginal and an extensive economic analysis is warranted.     

Determination of Polar Organic Pollutants in Aqueous Samples of Former Ammunition Sites in Lower Saxony by Means of HPLC/Photodiode Array Detection (HPLC/PDA) and Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ( 1H-NMR)

Leachate, ground-, and surface water from former ammunition sites and areas which are known to be contaminated by nitroaromatic compounds in Lower Saxony (Germany) were investigated in order to identify and quantify acidic nitroaromatic compounds (e.g., nitrobenzoic acids, aminonitrobenzoic acids, nitrophenols, and nitrocresols). Acidic and neutral nitroaromatic compounds were enriched by solid-phase extraction (SPE) on a polystyrenedivinylbenzene copolymer and routinely screened for acidic compounds by means of HPLC/photodiode array detection (HPLC/PDA). Qualitative and quantitative results obtained in this way were corroborated by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-NMR). Validation data for the quantification procedure using this technique are given. The results show that all samples contaminated with 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and related compounds are also contaminated by acidic nitroaromatic compounds (e.g., 2,4-dinitrobenzoic acid, 3,5-dinitrophenol, and especially with 2-amino-4,6-dinitrobenzoic acid) in the μg/L range. This current work shows that 1 H-NMR allows the quantitative determination of protoncarrying analytes in mixtures after solid-phase extraction down to the upper ng/L range after addition of an internal standard to the SPE extract. This is even possible when reference compounds are not commercially available.     

Analysis of Nitroaromatics and Nitramines in Ammunition Waste Water and in Aqueous Samples from Former Ammunition Plants and Other Military Sites Analyse von Nitroaromaten und Nitraminen in Munitionsabwasser und wäßrigen Proben ehemaliger Munitionsfabriken und anderen Rüstungsaltlasten

Waste water from ammunition production sites and aqueous samples (ground and surface water) on or near former military sites on which explosives were produced or filled, e.g. into shells, may be contaminated by the original explosives—mainly nitrotoluenes (such as dinitrotoluenes, trinitrotoluene (TNT)) and nitramines (such as hexogen (RDX), octogen (HMX), and tetryl) or hexyl, but also by byproducts and compounds formed by biodegradation of the explosives such as aminonitrotoluenes, chlorinated nitrobenzenes and nitrophenols. These compounds can be extracted from aqueous samples by liquid/liquid extraction (using dichloromethane or toluene) or by solid phase extraction using C-18 adsorbents with high recoveries (usually ≥85%) provided they contain only one amino group. Nitrotoluenes, chlorinated nitrobenzenes and aminonitrotoluenes (nitrotoluidines) may be determined by gas chromatography (GC) using selective detectors such as an electron capture detector (ECD), a nitrogen-phosphorus detector (NPD) or a chemiluminescence detector (thermal energy analyzer, TEA). The use of combined gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) under electron impact conditions is even more specific. Detection limits comparable to an ECD or NPD, however, are only achieved if the mass spectrometer is operated under selected ion monitoring (SIM). Nitrophenols are derivatized after extraction by heptafluorobutyric anhydride or by acetic anhydride where the latter method can be directly applied to the aqueous sample. The nitramine explosives, such as RDX, HMX, and tetryl, hexyl, the nitrate esters, such as nitropenta (PETN) and nitroguanidine as well as picric acid cannot, or only with difficulty, be analyzed by gas chromatography. They may be determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV-detection. The HPLC analysis can be extended to include also nitrotoluenes and nitroaminotoluenes.     

Concepts of blast hole pressure applied to blast design

Blast hole pressure is the starting point for many blast design calculations, but the way in which it is usually derived, from measured detonation velocity, indicates that more thought is needed as to its true meaning and implication. The general impression is given that the energy in the hole is defined by velocity of detonation (VoD), but this is rarely the case. VoD is defined by the energy released in the detonation driving zone between the shock front and the sonic (or CJ) surface, and for commercial explosives it is normal for reaction not to be complete within this zone. Reaction and energy delivery continues behind it, not reflected by VoD. Thus it would be more appropriate to use the theoretical VoD, not the measured VoD, to derive the starting pressure, since this would reflect the energy input of full reaction. In decoupled situations, the derivation of pressure at the blast hole wall using a polynomial decay concept is also of debatable value, and an alternative is offered.     

Blast damage control in jointed rock mass

Highly jointed rocks often cause problems associated with blast damage and the stability of the back and/or walls of the excavation. A field study was performed to understand the role played by the joint parameters in inducing blast damage. The field work included blasting of small scale models, drift rounds and monitoring of blast damage at several operating mines. The damage was assessed by blast vibration monitoring, half cast factor, overbreak measurement and visual inspection.

The effect of spacing, orientation, aperture, condition, filling material and wall strength of joints on blast damage is described. The interaction between the joint planes and explosive energy has been discussed and the overbreak control measures have been suggested.     

Off-line and On-line Extraction of Explosives and Related Compounds from Aqueous Samples Using Solid Sorbents

Explosives belonging to the group of nitrotoluenes may be readily extracted with C18 adsorbent in the off-line mode and also in on-line coupling of the extraction unit to HPLC, while polar explosives like hexyl, HMX, and RDX show a substantial breakthrough and low recoveries. However, these compounds are quantitatively extracted using a new polymeric phase, LiChrolut EN, in the off-line mode. Preliminary results show that this new adsorbent may in principle also be used in the on-line mode for explosives. In this case, the cartridges have to be eluted in the backflush mode. Method detection limits of ? 0.1 μg/L are achieved for on-line extraction of explosives and related compounds with water samples as small as 10…30 mL.