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By Gordon F. Revey

Hanging Lake Joint Venture recently excavated two conventional 42 foot diameter highway tunnels in the difficult ground conditions of Glenwood Canyon, Colorado. This paper outlines the type and success of the various Controlled Blasting Techniques that were used to minimize overbreak in the portal and tunnel excavations. The different Smoothwall and Cushion Charge loads used in the different ground types are described in detail. Delay Timing and Drilling Pattern variations are also discussed.

Jan 1, 1991

By Jack Eloranta

This paper documents the relationship between material handling and processing costs compared to blasting cost. The old adage, "The cheapest crushing is done in the pit", appears accurate in this case study. Comparison of the accumulated cost of: powder, selected wear materials and electricity; indicate a strong, inverse correlation with powder factor (lbs powder/long ton of rock). In this case, the increased powder cost is more than offset by electrical savings alone.

Jan 1, 1995

By Leslie Taylor, W. Fourney, Uli Leiste

This paper presents the results from a series of tests conducted to investigate the total vertical impulse delivered to a target plate by a buried explosive charge. The tests were conducted at a very small scale but previous work has shown that small scale testing can predict impulse applied to plates in full scale. Non-deforming plates were used to determine the change in impulse delivered to targets as a result of changes in standoff distance and burial depth changes.

Jan 1, 2009

By Joseph W. Hejny, Marlyn G. King

Coal mining in the Powder River Basin has changed in recent years to accommodate the large quantity of coal produced. With strip ratios of one to one and up to three to one, extensive amounts of overburden have to be removed to get to the large thick seams of coal. Larger shovels and trucks have been implemented in the removal of this overburden. The addition of draglines and continuous miners have been added to increase the production of coal. Drills used today are capable of drilling up to 13.5 inch blast holes.

Jan 1, 1994

By E W. Kohler

Geophysical wireline logging of blastholes provides useful geological data and has considerable potential to improve overall blasting control and costs. This paper uses case histories to show how logging techniques have highlighted certain problems, and discusses the various in-hole tools available. In particular, the issue of the effects of hole diameter on explosive column height,and the importance of this when deck charging is addressed. The suitability and cost-effectiveness of currently available logging technology to the wide range of blasting applications is discussed.

Jan 1, 1988

By Kamal Wadhwa

Ever since the introduction of Liquid oxygen explosives in India in 1927, these explosives are being extensively used in the various mining industries such as coal, ironore, limestone, bauxite, magnesite etc. The earlier LOX compositions were based on cellulosic material of Weberlox series of French origin. They contained the basic ingredients of saw dust with an admixture of cork dust, some hydrocarbons and some metallic powders. However, there were some inherent defects in the soaking characteristics of these compositions, in as much as, absorption and retention of liquid oxygen in the cartridges were not properly regulated in the fine pores and in the inter-granular spaces inside the ingredients in a uniform manner.

Jan 1, 1989

By Richard J. Mainiero, James Q. Wheeler, Lewis H. Kopera, Yael Miron, Solin S. W Kwak

The research reported here was part of an effort to evaluate the safety of a process to recover TNT from MK-9 depth bombs by the autoclave meltout process. In this process the depth bombs are heated to 121oC so that the TNT will melt and run into a vat. Unfortunately, asphalt lining the inside surface of the bomb also melts and flows out with the TNT. Prior to this study, it was not known what effect the asphalt contamination and the higher than normal process temperatures (121oC) would have on the sensitivity of the TNT.

Jan 1, 1996

By Francis O. Otuonye

A time series and system analysis modeling technique was applied to signals from strain egages mounted on a fully grouted resin roof bolt and signals from accelerometers mounted on the bolt head and roof rock to determine the roof bolt's response to repeated blast loading. The derived model gives a comprehensive quantitative description of the modes of vibration of the roof bolt response to each blast loading. The damping ratios and natural frequencies of the modes of vibration can reveal the alteration of the process dynamics due to the deterioration of the roof rock and can be used to identify the incipience of instability in the roof bolt system.

Jan 1, 1987

By Sanjay Sengar, Nabiullah Pingua, Saurabh Sahay

In India, more than 80 percent of the total of 557 million metric ton coal production comes from open-cast mines involving large overburden removal with average 1:3.5 stripping ratio which is going to in-crease in future. This operation consumes nearly 0.5 million metric ton explosives consisting of 80-85 percent bulk explosives and remaining 15 to 20 percent non-permitted large diameter explosives. Quali-ties of bulk explosives play an important role in rock blasting. Post blast results like poor fragmentation, tight mucking, toe problems, improper muck profile and lower productivity of mine may require chang-es in explosive loading factor (amount of explosive used per unit of rock blasted ). The explosive load-ing factor is an extremely important index to assess the economy of blasting operation.

Jan 1, 2014

By B Mohanty, R Yang

Blasting vibration information is now commonly used to diagnose blast malfunctions. These range from limiting vibration levels to protect normal dwellings to determining scatter in detonator firing times, and even to rating of explosives in the borehole. Although blasting vibrations have the potential to yield reliable information in all these issues, there are key restrictions on their specific use, which are often ignored. These include all aspects of instrumentation, and sensor layout, as well as methods of analysis. This paper highlights these limitations. It emphasizes the distinction between near-field and far-field seismic recording in terms of borehole dimensions and blast geometry. Several case studies from both underground and open-pit blasting operations are discussed to illustrate and emphasize the essential characteristics of blasting vibrations and their optimal use in diagnosing blast malfunctions.

Jan 1, 1997

By W. Fourney

In the late 70’s and early 80’s in conjunction with other oil and gas well stimulation studies, personnel from the Dynamic Effects Lab performed model testing to demonstrate the effectiveness of utilizing an open section of borehole just before a plug. We called the process stem induced fracturing. The open section beneath the stem was used to increase the pressure magnitude and spread out the duration of the pressure pulse. This technique was later utilized to by Frank Chiapetta (1) in the fracture and fragmentation of rock in quarry blasting situations. He called his technique air deck blasting. In fact, Frank found that the Russians had previously discovered the same technique. There is currently interest in utilizing air deck blasting with an open section of hole beneath the explosive at the bottom of the bore hole to better remove the toe in a fragmentation shot. This paper reviews the development of stem induced fracturing and then describes a series of model tests conducted to measure borehole pressure at points along a borehole when an explosive charge is detonated at the midpoint of the borehole. Tests were conducted in both stiff boreholes (aluminum) and less rigid boreholes (PMMA-Plexiglas). Pressure time profiles were measured at the charge site, midway between the charge and the bottom of the hole, at the stemming at the top of the borehole, and at the bottom of the borehole. Crack initiation sites and crack propagation were also determined in the PMMA models. Some high speed pictures were taken of the event in the PMMA.

Jan 1, 2006

By Unknown

[Executive Director’s note: According to 17th edition of the ISEE Blasters Handbook in its section on trench blasting, “...consideration must be given to the proper venting of gases generated from the blasting. Should those gases spread laterally rather than vent directly to the surface, the gases may travel underground and finally vent well outside of the planned area. Such events may be caused by the strata, soil conditions or root systems, or existing and/or abandoned utilities or other man-made structures. In the worst situation, gases resulting from the detonation such as CO2, CO, and/or NOx may travel through the strata and find their way into basements of nearby homes or businesses. The IME has recommendations on how to minimize this potential problem. Some of the points include removing the overburden and digging the rock immediately after the shot, and drilling vent holes periodically between the ditch and adjacent homes.” The Board of Directors of the International Society of Explosives Engineers has expressed its concern that blasters be made aware of the issue of migration of carbon monoxide resulting from blasting operations. What follows are excerpts from “Carbon Monoxide - The Silent Hazard”, an article that was recently included in the Safety Update, Vol. 20, No. 1, 2001, published by Nobel Insurance Services.]

Jan 1, 2002

By Greg Quinn

After a long week of work in Colorado Springs this past July, I was looking forward to flying home to start a long anticipated family vacation. As I grabbed my seat on the plane, a man sitting next to me innocently inquired, to the row as a whole and not to me in particular, “I wonder what the weather will be like in Phoenix”? To most people, this is a common (maybe the most common) topic of casual conversation. To a meteorologist that just dealt with six thunderstorm delays at a major golf event over 4 days, well, lets just say the smirk on my face said it all. After giving my flight mate a detailed forecast and a short explanation on why I would know such information, I sensed, correctly, the inevitable follow up question was coming. “Why would you need a meteorologist at a golf tournament?”

Jan 1, 2012

By Jerry R. Wallace

A systematic, team approach to pre-blast and on-going problem solving contributed to the successful completion of this indoor industrial construction blasting project.

Jan 1, 1995

By Douglas R. Burns

During the summer of 1989, Maine Drilling and Blasting of Gardiner, Maine was contracted by Cayer Corporation of Harvard, Massachusetts to drill and blast an interceptor trench at the Nyanza Chemical Superfund Site in Ashland, Massachusetts.

Jan 1, 1991

By Roger N. Prescott

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) is sponsoring legislation requiring the addition of identification taggants to commercial explosives. These are plastic particles with color coded layers that theoretically can be used to identify the explosive by date shift code.

Jan 1, 1980

By Alan R. Gadberry

Good mine planning is critical to the success of a safe, cost effective mine. Many factors contribute to the overall success of an open pit mining operation: proper pit location and development, good drilling and blasting practice, and well conceived short range and long range mining plans.

Jan 1, 1981

By Heins Walter Wild

Detailed investigations on various configuration kinds of cut with respect to drilling-technological and blasting-technological properties as well as with respect to cost effectiveness have been carried out in Germany.

Jan 1, 1995

By Weyman CT Ngain, Brian J. Kennedy

Innovative chemically sensitised bulk emulsion explosives and pump delivery systems have provided contractors participating in the highly competitive Hong Kong underground construction market with a safer and more cost effective approach to loading explosives.

Jan 1, 1997

By Paul Downing

While safety and security have always been concerns of the U.S. explosives community, events throughout the world during the past few years have caused us to re-examine our industry’s potential vulnerability and change the way we do business on a day-to-day basis.

Jan 1, 2006