Energy Distribution of Columnar

Explosive Blasting in Rock

Cai Feng1,2,3, Liu Ze-gong1, 2
1.Key Laboratory of Safe and Effective Coal Mining (Anhui University of Science
and Technology), Ministry of Education, Huainan 232001, China;
2.School of Resource and Safety, Anhui University of Science and Technology,
Huainan 232001, China
3.Key Laboratory of Integrated Coal Exploitation and Gas Extraction of
Anhui Province, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan
232001, China

ABSTRACT
The energy generated during blasting in rock can be divided into tow parts, that is blasting
shock wave energy and blasting gas energy. The theoretic analysis on distribution of blasting
energy can be helpful to improve the blasting technology, and to increase the blasting results.
On the condition of columnar explosive, the deformation and damage characteristics of rock
under the impact of blasting shock waves are analyzed. And the cavity expansion effect of
blasting gas is studied. Taking consideration of the damage of rock, drive cracks effect of
blasting gas is analyzed. The research results show that, when columnar explosive blasting in
rock and the the depth of burial below the critical depth, the energy of blasting shock wave
accounts for 40% of the total explosion energy. And only 23% and 37% of the rest of blasting
energy is used to expand cavity and main cracks, and to increase the number of cracks by
blasting gas, and other blasting energy is lost.

KEYWORDS: columnar explosive; energy distribution; shock wave; blasting gas

INTRODUCTION
Both theoretical research and productive practice[1] show that the damage and throw of
broken rock is the result of joint action of blasting shock waves and blasting gas. The blasting
energy transfers to rock through blasting shock waves and blasting gas[2]. Blasting shock
waves mainly consumed in the process of cavity expansion, and this results to deformation of
rock, forms broken rocks zone, and generates main cracks[3]. Blasting gas is used to expand
cavity, extends main cracks, generates branches of cracks, and throws away the broken
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rocks[4]. In terms of explosives, under water blasting energy experiments show that, the
blasting energy can be divided into shock wave energy and blasting gas wave energy two
parts, and the distribution of these two parts are different along with different explosives.
Taking level three coal-mine water-gel explosive example, shock wave energy and blasting
gas wave energy respectively accounts 48% and 52% of total blasting energy[3]. Additionally,
high-speed photographies during blasting in open-pit mine[5] show that under general
conditions, the spalling and throwing time of step surface is 20-30ms after detonate, and the
actuation duration of blasting shock waves is less than 5-6ms, and the rest time is quasi static
action time of gas explosion. So, it is proper to divided the blasting energy in rock into shock
wave energy and blasting gas wave energy two parts.
After charging explosives and detonation, blasting shocks waves generated by explosion
radial and drastically shock and compress surrounding rock and form broken rocks zone,
meantime, this leads to displacement of rock mass and blasting cavity expansion. Blasting
shock waves apply works on rocks, and blasting energy attenuates sharply. At the edge of
broken rocks zone, blasting shock waves successively attenuate into plastic and elastic stress
waves, and the propagation of stress waves tangentially strength rocks and generate new
radial cracks. During generating and extending these new cracks, the energy of stress waves
successively attenuates , and the intensity of stress waves decreases, so that these stress waves
can only cause the elastic deformation and vibration of rock out of cracks zone. Following the
shock waves, the explosion gas continues to expand and further expand the cavity, and wedge
in the cracks to extend them. At last, broken rocks are thrown outside under the effect of
remaining energy of blasting gas. When the explosive charge is constant, With the decrease of
burial depth, the blasting energy transferred to the ground rock will increase, and the ground
rock will be damaged if the burial depth is small enough. According to the different rock
properties, brittle rock will have a "slice off phenomenon", and plastic rock will produce
"bulge phenomenon" accompanied by cracks. Under this condition, burial depth of explosives
is called the critical depth. This paper mainly discusses the blasting energy distribution of the
columnar explosives blasting in rock, and the burial depth of explosives are larger than
critical depth.

CALCULATION OF BLASTING BROKEN ROCKS

ZONE
Blasting load when columnar explosive charge
In the condition of the coupling charge, columnar explosive blasts in rock and applies
shock load on surrounding rock. According to the acoustic approximation principle[6-8]:

Pd =

0 D 2 2 mC p
1 + mC p + 0 D

(1)

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4223

where Pd is initial shock pressure of transmissive shock waves into the rock; 0 and m is
respectively density of explosives and rocks; C p and D is respectively sound velocity in
rocks and detonation velocity of explosive; is adiabatic expansion coefficient of blasting
products, generally = 3 .
A large number of consumption on the shock waves energy results to sharply attenuation,
so that at the edge of broken rocks zone, blasting shock waves attenuate into stress waves.
When plane strain, the stress of rock caused by stress waves can be expressed as[9]:

t = Pd r

(2)

= r

(3)

z = (1 ) r

(4)

where r , , z is respectively radial stress, tangential stress, axial stress; r is

comparative distance, r = ri / rb , ri is the distance between calculative point with the center
of explosive, rb is the diameter of blasting hole; is pressure attenuation coefficient, 3
or = 2 + / (1 ) in shock waves area and = 2 / (1 ) in stress waves area,
according to some scholars research results[7,10], within the range of load rate of engineering
blast, = 0.8 0 , and 0 is static Poisson's ratio of rock; is lateral pressure coefficient,
and = / (1 ) .

Failure criterion of rock under explosion load

Failure criterion of materials under external load depends on the properties of materials
and actual stress state. The rocks belong to the brittleness material, and the tensile strength is
far less than compressive strength. According to the literature [9], the expression of the
effective stress i of rock can be expressed as:

i =

1
r (1 + )2 2 (1 )2 (1 ) + (1 + )2
2

1
2

(5)

According to Mises criterion, if i cd (broken rocks zone) or i td (cracks zone),

the rock will be damaged, where cd and td is respectively dynamic uniaxial compressive
strength and dynamic uniaxial tensile strength of rock. Because i of rock will increase with
the increase of loading strain rate, and different rocks have different sensitivity on loading
13
strain rate, so to normal rock, cd = c , where c is static uniaxial compressive strength
of rock, is loading strain rate. Some research results[11] show that when is between 100
and 104s-1, and in broken rocks zone, the value of is between 102 and 104s-1, and outside of
broken rocks zone, the value of is between 100 and 103s-1. Rocks td changes little with

Vol. 19 [2014], Bund. S

4224

loading strain rate, and within the range of load rate of engineering blast, td = t , where t
is static uniaxial tensile strength of rock.

The calculation of broken rocks zone and cracks zone

Under the conditions of Columnar coupling charging, after blasting, broken rocks zone
and cracks zone will be formed around explosives, according to equation (1), (2) and (5), and
makes i cd , the radius of broken rocks zone[9] can be calculated by:

PA
Rc = rb d
2 cd

(6)

where A = (1 + ) + 1 + 2 2 (1 ) 2 .
2

Meanwhile, the radius of cracks zone RT [9] can be calculated by:

RT = Rc cd
td

PA
= rb d
2 cd

cd
td

(7)

where = 2 (1 ) .

ANALYSIS OF SHOCK WAVES APPLYING WORK ON

ROCK
Cavity expansion effect of shock waves
Under the action of shock waves, the rock mass around blasting hole takes radial
displacement, and the diameter of blasting hole increase and the blasting cavity expands;
shock waves smash rocks, apply work on rock, and then sharply attenuate. When shock waves
propagate to the edge of broken rocks zone, the shock and compression process finishes, and
blasting expansion process caused by shock wave also finishes. During blasting, rock
complies with the conservation of mass, and can be expressed as[1,2]:

(r

rb2 m = 2 0 rdr

(8)

r1

where r is action radius of shock wave; r1 is the radius of blasting cavity.

Expanding law of blasting cavity under the action of shock waves[2] can be expressed as:

r1 = r 2 r 2 rb2 m / r

In broken rocks zone, r = Rc , final radius of blasting cavity is:

(9)

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4225

R1 = Rc2 Rc2 rb2 m / r

(10)

In the process of expanding cavity,

r =

a + bu
m
a + (b 1)u

(11)

where a and b is rock test constant; u is initial velocity of rock mass at blasting hole wall.
Shock wave energy consumption equals to the work shock waves applying on the rock, so
the work shock waves applying on the rock during expanding cavity is:
R1

W1 = 2r r dr

(12)

rb

Take peak pressure attenuation equation of shock waves r = Pd r

and then integrate it, acquire:

r
W1 = 2rb2 Pd 1 b
R1

into equation (12),

(13)

Shock waves do work during generating radial cracks

Outside of broken rocks zone, blasting shock waves attenuate into plastic and elastic
stress waves, and propagation of stress waves tangentially strength rocks and generate new
radial cracks. Former research results[12] show that plane wedge crack model is proper to
study this cracks. Meanwhile, according to the rock fracture mechanics, considering columnar
explosive blasting
can be seen as plane strain problem, energy release rate can be acquired as:
1 2 2
G1 =
K1 , K1 is stress intensity factors. So, the work done by tangential stress during
E
cracks extending can be expressed as:

W2 = n1

RT

rb

(1 ) K
2

2
1

dr

(14)

where n1 is the number of radial cracks.

According to experiments[9], the number of main cracks is 4-12, and take its value as 8
( n1 = 8 ). For the open cracks, along their extension lines ( = 0 ), the relationship between
K1
tangential stress and its stress intensity factors at cracks end is: =
, where r j is the
2

r
j
distance between the center of blasting hole and cracks end, and taking this equation into
equation (14) and then integrating it can get:

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4226

n 2 Pd2 rb2 1 2
W2 = 1
E (1 )

) R

r
b

2 (1 )

(15)

Elastic deformation caused by stress waves

Outside of cracks zone, stress waves can only cause elastic deformation. During
calculating consumed energy during elastic deformation, elastic deformation energy per unit
volume of rock[2] is:

r2
1
E = ( r r + ) =
1 + 2
2
2E

(16)

So, the work during stress waves and shock waves leading to elastic deformation of rock
is:

W3 =

rb

(1 + 2 ) Pd2 rb2
2rEdr =
E
2(1 )

(17)

ANALYSIS ON THE WORK APPLIED BY BLASTING

GAS ON ROCK
After the process of shock waves expanding, blasting gas rapidly expands and fills cavity,
and continues to act on the rock in the form of quasi static pressure. This results to further
radial displacement of rock mass around blasting cavity, and this expands the cavity. With the
increase of cavitys volume, blasting gas pressure drops. And when blasting gas pressure
drops to the surrounding rock pressure, blasting expansion process ends.

Expand cavity by blasting gas

Following the shock waves, blasting gas continues to expand the cavity. When the
blasting gas pressure P equals to surrounding rock pressure Ps , blasting expansion process
ends. During blasting expansion process, the surrounding rock pressure[13] is:

Ps = Patm + s + m

(18)

where Patm is atmospheric pressure; s is the ultimate compressive strength of rock

1
under multiaxial stress conditions, s = mC p2 c 4 c , m is rocks severe; is burden.
Because Patm and m is much less than s , so Ps = s . To simplify the calculation, gas
leakage is ignored. So, to blasting gass expanding law in blasting cavity is[1]:

Vol. 19 [2014], Bund. S

4227

P0 (rb / r2 )6
P=
8
Pk (rk / r2 ) 3

(P Pk )
(P < Pk )

(19)

where P is instantaneous pressure of blasting gas; P0 is initial pressure of blasting gas, when
coupling charge, its value equals to detonation pressure, P0 = 0 D 2 (2 + 2 ) ; r2 is
instantaneous radius of blasting cavity; Pk and rk is respectively critical pressure and critical
radius of blasting cavity when blasting gas is on adiabatic expansion. Change the format of
equation (19) can acquire the expanding laws of blasting cavity under the action of blasting
gas, that is:
16

rb (P0 / P )
r2 =
16
38
rb (P0 / Pk ) (Pk / P )

(P Pk )
(P < Pk )

(20)

Replace P in equation (20) with Ps , final radius of blasting cavity can be acquired as:
16

rb (P0 / Ps )
R2 =
16
38
rb (P0 / Pk ) (Pk / Ps )

(Ps Pk )
(Ps < Pk )

(21)

So, work done by blasting gas to expand cavity can be expressed as:
R2

W4 = 2rPdr

(22)

R1

Substitute equation (19) into equation (22), and then integrate, get:
4
4

P0 rb2 rb R1

1
2 R1 R2

W4 =
49
23
23
2

R1
4Pk rb P0 rb

1
3 Pk R1 R2

(Ps Pk )
(23)

(Ps < Pk )

Blasting gas driving the cracks

The damage and cracks are the result of the combination action of stress waves and
blasting gas[14]. This theory is that: firstly, under the action of stress waves, initial crack
network is generated in rock around the hole, and then, under the quasi static action of
blasting gas, the initial cracks will be further extended. Considering the mechanical effect of
stress wave propagation in advance, that is before the damage of rock mass, the rocks
microscopic structure has been changed. Kutter and Fairhurst[14] thinks that: stress waves play
a pre-load role on rock. According to this, plane wedge crack model of quasi static blasting
gas driving cracks can be shown as Figure 1. In Figure 1, L(t ) is total extended length driven

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4228

by blasting gas; L1 (t ) is filling length of blasting gas; L0 is initial length of radial cracks
under the action of stress waves.

L0
L1(t)
L(t)

Figure 1: Plane wedge crack model of quasi static blasting gas driving cracks
Initial cracks are caused by shock waves, and then the cracks keep growing under the
action of blasting gas. When engineering calculating, when the length of crack is larger than
the diameter of blasting hole, the blasting hole can be seen as a part of crack. Stress intensity
factor of crack discontinuity of this model[12,15,16] can be expressed as:

2 L(t ) + rb
K1 =
1 D

12

L (t )+ rb

P ( x, t )

{[L(t ) + r ] x }
2

2 12

dx

(24)

where P( x, t ) is the distribution of gas pressure along the direction of crack length; is the
far field stress perpendicular to the direction of crack surface; D is damage of the end of
crack tip. When the crack stop growing, set P as pressure of gas in cavity, and L as the final
crack length, then,

K1 =

2 L + rb
1 D

12

L + rb

{[L + r ]

x2

12

dx = K a

(25)

where K a is the arrest toughness of rock.

According equation (25), final crack length under the action of stress waves and blasting
gas can be acquired, and the work done by blasting gas on the growth of crack is:

W5 = n1

RT

(1 ) K
2

2
1

dr

(26)

THE CALCULATION AND ANALYSIS

In the process of blasting, the work equals to consumed energy. The energy of unit length
explosive is E0 = rb2 0Q , where Q is explosive heat. The explosive heat of #2 Rock
Ammonium Nitrate Explosive ( 0 =1000kg/m3, v =3600m/s) is 3.76MJ/kg, and the physical

Vol. 19 [2014], Bund. S

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parameters of rock is shown as Table 1. The calculated results are shown in Table 2. From
Table 2, it can be found that: The ratio of consumed energy by shock waves to total blasting
energy is about 40%; the ratio of blasting gas energy to total blasting energy is about 60%,
among them, the energy of blasting gas used to expand cavity and cracks is 23% of blasting
gas energy, the energy blasting gas used to create new cracks is 37% of blasting gas energy,
and the other energy is lost. The calculated results is very close to relative literatures.

Table 1: Physical and mechanical properties of rock and the value of a and b
Rock type

m/kg.m3

Cp/m.s-1

c/MPa

t/MPa

E/GPa

a/m.s-1

Granite

2670

5500

180

15

70

0.24

3600

1.0

Basalt

2670

6200

250

18

100

0.25

2600

1.6

Marble

2700

5000

160

12

80

0.26

4000

1.32

Gabbro

2980

6000

240

18

80

0.25

3500

1.32

Table 2: Calculated results of distributions of blasting energy

Rock type

W1/E0

W2/E0

W3/E0

W4/E0

W5/E0

Others

Granite

27.6

5.9

7.1

5.0

17.7

37.3

Basalt

31.9

4.8

5.3

3.0

14.4

40.6

Marble

27.5

6.7

7.0

5.9

20.1

32.8

Gabbro

22.7

6.1

6.8

6.9

18.3

39.2

CONCLUSIONS
Through theoretical analysis, it can be found that the damage and throw of broken rock is
the result of joint action of blasting shock waves and blasting gas. The blasting energy
transfers to rock through blasting shock waves and blasting gas. Blasting shock waves mainly
consumpt in the process of cavity expansion, and this results to deformation of rock, forms
broken rocks zone, and generates main cracks. Blasting gas is used to expand cavity, extends
main cracks, generates branches of cracks, and throws away the broken rocks
Through calculation and analysis, it can be found that: The ratio of consumed energy by
shock waves to total blasting energy is about 40%; the ratio of blasting gas energy to total
blasting energy is about 60%, among them, the energy of blasting gas used to expand cavity
and cracks is 23% of blasting gas energy, the energy blasting gas used to create new cracks is
37% of blasting gas energy, and the other energy is lost.
Currently, the blasting energy distribution laws of the blast under the condition of
different rocks and burial depth being less than critical depth need to be further studied.
Meanwhile, according to different requirements of engineering blast, it should be studied and
analyzed to improve the explosion energy distribution of blasting in different rocks.

Vol. 19 [2014], Bund. S

4230

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Part of researches in this paper is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of
China (51304006), Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province of China (1408085QE87).

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