In Blasting only 20-30% of explosive energy

is utilised for breaking the rock.

Rest is wasted in ground vibrations, air-

overpressure, noise

The undesirable effects of Ground

vibrations –
• Damaging structural features
• endangering the stability of pit slopes
& dump slopes
Blasting mechanism
When explosive charge is detonated in a
blast hole, strain waves are generated in
the surrounding rock mass.
This energy generates cracks and
fractures in the strata due to different
breakage mechanisms such as crushing
radial cracking, reflection breakage, etc in
the crushed and fractured zones of blast
holes. Beyond the fractured zone, the
energy level is reduced. This will cause
ground vibrations.
 Mechanism of ground vibrations

When the intensity of the strain waves

diminishes to the level where no
permanent deformation occurs in the
rock mass, i.e. beyond the
fragmentation zone, strain waves
propagate through the strata in the
form of elastic waves.
These waves in the elastic zone are
known as ground vibrations.
The seismic waves generated by the
detonation of explosive charges are of
3 types

Primary waves or P-waves (direction of motion of

vibrating particle is in the direction of propagation of waves)

Secondary waves or S-waves (direction of motion

of vibrating particle is the right angle to the direction of propagation. S-waves
are slower than P-waves)

Surface waves or R (Rayleigh)-waves (these

waves assume the longitudinal motion of P-waves and transverse motion
of S-waves. The combined effect takes the form of elliptical shape. R-waves
are slower than S-waves)
 PREDICTION OF GROUND VIBRATIONS

The vibration of the particle is associated

with the following parameters –
frequency,
velocity,
acceleration
Peak values of the above parameters are considered in
predicting the ground vibrations.
Various researchers world over tried to
correlate the damage levels with different
parameters of vibration.

Peak Particle Velocity(PPV) has so far been

considered as the best criterion for
measurement of vibration levels.

USBM did extensive work in this field and

proposed the following propagation equation
for predicting the PPV
 V = k (D/W)

Where
V = peak particle velocity (mm/sec)
D = distance between blast site and instrument
station (m)
W = maximum weight of explosive used per
delay (kg)
k and  are site constants which have to be
determined by measurements on each particular
mine or blasting site.

D/W is called the scaled distance

The site constants are obtained by using
statistical tools – method of least
squares and regression analysis
Square root scale distance is used in case
of cylindrical charges (Opencast blasts)
Cube root scale distance is used in case
of spherical charges (underground blasts)
Human response and structural response
to ground vibrations

Human response to ground vibrations

Effect Peak ParticleVelocity(PPV)
Noticeable 0.5 mm/s
Troublesome 5 mm/s
Severe 15 mm/s
 Structural response

No damage < 50 mm/s

Plaster cracking 50-100 mm/s
Minor damage (formation of new fine cracks either 100-175 mm/s
in plaster or dry wall or opening of old cracks)

Major damage (serious cracking of plaster or dry >175 mm/s

wall and fall of material. It may indicate structural damage)

PPV of 2540 mm/s breaks the rock

 Role of Frequency
Earlier only PPV was the criterion to
estimate the structural damage
Every structure has got its natural
frequency
When induced/forced frequency of blast
vibrations match with the natural frequency
of the structure, a state of resonance occurs
taking the vibrations to peak thereby
increasing the risk of damage
The natural frequencies of structures
Type of structure Natural frequency
(Hz)
Single storied brick structure 12-14

Double storied brick structure 8-10

Concrete structure 9-16

Natural frequency varies from 8-16 Hz

Even the low PPV of vibrations at natural
frequencies of structures are more harmful
to the stability of the structure.

DGMS vide circular No. 7 of 1997 made it

mandatory to control the blasting operations
in order to keep the PPV at the foundation
level of the structure in mining areas within
the limits prescribed in the said circular
corresponding to the dominant excitation
frequency of the blasts which are given below
Type of structure Dominant excitation frequency, Hz

8 Hz 8-25 Hz >25 Hz
Buildings/structures not belonging to the owner
Domestic houses/structures 5 10 15
(kutcha, brick & cement)
Industrial buildings (RCC & 10 20 25
framed structures)
Objects of historical importa- 2 5 10
nce & sensitive structures
Buildings belonging to owner with limited span of life
Domestic houses/structures 10 15 25
(kutcha, brick & cement)
Industrial buildings (RCC & 15 25 50
framed structures)
 Controlling measure of blast vibrations
By optimising the following controllable parameters,
the blasting efficiency will be increased thereby the
effect of ground vibrations will be reduced:
•Blast hole diameter (<= Bench height /40)
•Effective burden ( 0.3-0.44 H)
•Effective spacing (1 – 1.5 B)
•Sub-grade drilling (0 – 0.3 B)
•Stemming (0.7 – 1.1B)
• Blast size ( 3 – 4 rows & L/W > 3)
•Delay interval (for the previously fired rows to have sufficient time to move
away at the same time to give time for collision of rocks fired by successive row, the
the delay recommended is 10 ms per meter of the burden)
•Charge per delay (as per Prediction equation)
•Selection of suitable explosives (high VOD for hard rock & low for
soft rock)
• Adopting non electric initiation system
 NON-ELECTRICAL INITIATING SYSTEM
It consists of a plastic tube of 3-4mm outer diameter

The inside wall is sprayed with HMX at the rate of

15 mg/meter.
One end is sealed and the other end is crimped with
a detonator

Shock tubes with detonator at each end is also available.

When the tube is fired from sealed end, a mild shock wave
propagates along the inside wall of the tube which initiates
the detonator, without disrupting the stemming and
explosive column through which the tube passes
Conventional DF employs 10gr/m of PETN
One m DF releases energy equivalent to (10/0.24) 41 detonators

This results in –
Violent detonation disrupting surroundings
- stemming, desensitising explosive charge

Nonel
shocktube
DF

Blast hole
Blast hole
 Advantages of NONEL shock tubes

Lot of flexibility is available with Nonel system to

reduce the charge per delay to the minimum of charge
per hole easily (this significantly reduces the ground vibrations)
Due to less grammage of HMX (15mg/m) it will not
cause de-sensitisation of explosive column and will
not disturb the stemming column (detonating cord contains
PETN at the rate of 10 grams/m will dissipate energy equivalent to about
40 detonator per meter length). Better utilisation of explosive energy)

Down the hole initiation is possible with nonel shock

tubes, which ensures full Availability of explosive
energy in the bottom of the hole eliminating toe
problem, fly rock and noise problem
Better utilisation of explosive energy results in
icreased Burden & Spacing

Less vibration, noise and no fly rock – better

environmental management

Better fragmentation