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By Seokbin Lim

According to published literature, the equation of motion of linear shaped charges (LSCs) has been investigated as early as the 1960s in a few research organizations. However, due to the comparatively low penetration performance, the amount of research has not been extensive, and the use of this device is quite limited in very specialized applications. Traditionally, the equation of motion of an LSCs’ liner shares the same basis as conical shaped charges (CSCs) because they are under the same functional category and generally have similar geometric configuration. However, the nature of LSCs is not quite similar with that of CSCs due to multiple reasons, and they required a new set of equations to properly address their performance. In this paper, we reviewed different sets of approaches in describing the liner collapse behavior of LSCs mostly based on the author’s contributions.

Jan 1, 2014

By Yang Jun, Qu Mei, Zheng Yao-wu, Chi Li-yuan

Due to the necessity of the prediction of blasting seismic effect around strip mine bench blasting area, the paper provides a method to predict the blasting seismic effect by employing the superposition of seed waveform at different monitoring points. The method assumes that blasting vibration waveform per hole is similar to seed waveform at monitoring point. Therefore seismic wave consists of the superposition of the waves from all of blast holes. Firstly, via sensors multiple seed waveforms can be achieved at different distances from signature hole. Then, by using the given dose and the distance, the vibration waveform of a certain blast hole can be calculated by the corresponding seed waveforms. Finally, the initiation delay time interval per hole is added to the propagation time to the predicting point. The predictive waveform at the whole blasting area can be obtained by superimposing all of the single waveforms. Considering the vibration waveform of a single blast hole changes greatly with the distance, under different distances condition the seed wave employed to superimpose is achieved from the similar distance. The experiments demonstrate that based on the method the predictive vibration waveform and spectrum are basically consistent with monitoring results around near-field blast. Compared with single seed wave method, the superposition method of multiple seed wave is more reliable to predict the duration of blasting vibration, the peak particle velocity, dominant frequency and frequency distribution.

Jan 1, 2015

By Gregory B. Poole

Data collected with 16K sampling at a variety of blasting sites (construction, quarry, trench, mine) and monitoring locations was analyzed to effectively show the 16 different 1K readings all based on the microsecond that the unit went into monitoring.

Feb 1, 2020

By David P. Reddick

"Suncor Inc. Oilsands Group mining operation in Northern Alberta, Canada, has been blasting to loosen the oilsands to increase production and decrease maintenance of the bucketwheel excavators for over twenty years. In 1991 an area of the mine was encountered which had a working face of 130 feet rather than the usual 20 to 57. In order to maintain production objectives, the planning and blasting departments of the mine took on the task of blasting as much of the working face as possible. McGinnis Rathole Drilling Company provided the drilling for the project and Mining Services International (MSI) delivered the bulk explosives to the boreholes. It is believed the resultingblasts exceeded several known records in production blasting."

Jan 1, 1992

By Hector O. Romero, Paulo C. Fernández A, Christian Rees Prado, Claudio C. Gajardo

In open-pit mining, estimating post blasting displacement and spillage accurately is essential to guarantee operational efficiency, ensure alignment with production plans and their associated key performance indicators. The absence of predictive modeling tools on blasting operations results in several critical challenges, including operational reworks due to deviations in material displacement, significant discrepancies between mine and plant (ore grade dilution included), misalignment with the reported production plan, and increased operational costs due to inefficient use of resources. This study, conducted at Los Bronces Mine operated by Angloamerican, Chile, addresses the application of a three-dimensional simulation tool that, through numerical modeling, is capable of predicting post blast rock displacement. The implementation was carried out in a pit phase characterized by blasts near the pit boundaries, with a high risk of material spillage and potential blockage of the only access ramp to the extraction levels. By the integration of key design parameters, such as blast pattern geometry, detonating time, explosive charge distribution and pre and post blast survey, an optimal calibration was achieved and validated in seven blasting events to date, reaching an accuracy greater than 80% in estimating post-blast rock displacement and spillage volumes. Furthermore, this study allowed the evaluation of different pattern alternatives with and without spillage mitigation measures (use of air decks near the free face), obtaining a high correlation and accuracy exceeding 95% in predicting the selected design outcome, supporting optimal design selections. The result highlights the usefulness of the model as a decision-support tool for blasting engineers and short-term planning, by reducing the need for unnecessary operational reworks, improving geological and operational reconciliation, and ensuring the alignment of the extracting plan with production targets. The current average deviation is 15%, with higher deviations observed in blasts with smaller volumes of spill or where the simulated sequence was changed before blasting. The use of this type of three-dimensional numerical modeling represents a significant advancement for blast engineering and the optimization of key performance indicators in open-pit mining operations.

Jan 26, 2026

By D P. Yang, Yang R. G

The laws of throwing and heaping of engineering blast are important for making use of throwing and heaping of thrown body to form certain shape, such as building dams by directional blast. The article is to apply Ballistic theory of single thrown body to take the throwing course of thrown body as the movement of particle system, and then delimit the total of thrown body into units of thrown bodies, and regard the heaping shape of single thrown body as a perfect triangle, and found a quantitative relation between macro-geometry parameters of perfect triangle and designed parameters of explosives. The theory has been adopted in blast practice and gotten good effects.

Jan 1, 1999

By Minoru Kawamura, Shinya Tanaka

In Japan, a cartridged emulsion explosive is generally used for tunneling. The workers are compelled to approach the face on charging the explosives into the drill hole with the tamping rod. Therefore, the workers are exposed to the risk of the disaster with the cave-in and the falling rock. The mechanization of the tunnel work has been advancing gradually. Especially, the development of the mechanization for charging work is desired in order to avoid the risk of disaster on workers. Recently, some charging machines such as the bulk emulsion explosives have been evaluated. However, a universal method has not been established yet, because the evaluated machines were not adequately suited from the point of the regulations and the consumption style of explosives.

Jan 1, 2008

By Jihan Farhan Lubis, Putu Chandra Darmansyah

Ground vibration caused by blasting has become a common concern, especially when blasting is conducted near buildings or structures. Uncontrolled vibrations can potentially damage nearby infrastructure if appropriate control measures are not implemented. PT Tambang Semen SUKABUMI, a limestone mining company, is planning to carry out blasting activities near a crusher building located approximately 80 meters away. This building is classified as a Class 5 structure, with a maximum allowable Peak Particle Velocity (PPV) of 40 mm/s, in accordance with the Indonesian national standard SNI 7571:2023. To ensure compliance with this limit, a Signature Holes Analysis (SHA) was conducted using the Hanwha HEBS II electronic detonator initiation system. This analysis measured ground vibration from single-hole blasts, with the average vibration from three SHA holes recorded at 49 mm/s. A site constant analysis using the scaled distance formula yielded a multiple R value of 0.87. However, the ANOVA table showed a significance-F value of 0.24, which is greater than 0.05 indicating that the regression model used for prediction was not statistically significant. Using the SHA data and assuming a maximum of 30 blast holes, a recommended delay timing of 22 × 15 milliseconds was selected. This produced a predicted PPV of 17.25 mm/s. The comparison between predicted and actual PPV values demonstrates that the delay configuration derived from Signature Hole Analysis provides reliable results. The observed deviations range from -16% to +29%, with an average deviation of only 8%, indicating a high level of accuracy and consistency. Using the actual blast data, three model prediction were applied for predicting the most accurate prediction that close to the actual value. The SHA method, utilizing actual single-hole vibration measurements and optimized delay timing, provided the lowest average deviation of ±8% and the smallest absolute error (2.45 mm/s) from actual measurements, demonstrating high reliability for sites with sufficient signature data. Meanwhile, the log-log regression model yielded the highest coefficient of determination (R² = 0.751) and the smallest prediction deviation (3%) when standard deviation margins were considered, making it highly effective for predictive modeling.

Jan 26, 2026

By James A. Bachmann, Christopher J. Gray

On December 26, 1994, at 1:00 am, Santa Fe Pacific Gold's Twin Creeks Mine experienced a major highwall failure involving over 2.5 million tons. The resulting effects of this slide were thousands of ounces of gold that were now deferred and an unstable wall above which made mining the slough material unsafe.

Jan 1, 1996

By D. Pickering, R. Wharton

The deadline for meeting legal requirements relating to the sale of explosives in the European Union was 1 January 2003. The paper examines the range of materials that have already been certified by the different Explosives Notified Bodies as well as recent national and European Commission decisions relating to this work. The implications of enlargement of the European Union are also discussed as is the future role of the Great Britain Explosives Notified Body in certification and assessment.

Jan 1, 2003

By Z X. Zhang

Ground vibrations from the blasts of the LKAB mine at the Malmberget town had reached 18-19 mm/s from year 2000 to 2002. From 2004 to 2010 the maximum vibrations had been reduced to 9 mm/s and most vibrations lowered to about 5 mm/s, indicating that the technical measures used in the mine are effective in vibration control. The major measure that has always been used in Malmberget mine is the method called Changing Initiation Sequence (CIS in short). Another method named Dividing Ring Blasting (DRB in short) is often applied to some special blast rings in the mine. Both methods have been proved to be successful in vibration reduction, and they do not need any additional costs. Because of the two methods, both maximum vibrations and average ones have been reduced by around 50% since 2004.

Jan 1, 2012

By Johan Svard

"Two years of field testing have shown that blasting results are improved both in surface and underground applications when Nitro Nobel electronic detonators are used. The delay times canbe chosen with an accuracy of 1 millisecond over the entire time range (1 to 6250 ms). Since ordinary.high explosives have detonation velocities of up to 6000 metres/second, these high velocities make accurate and flexible delay times very interesting."

Jan 1, 1992

Laboratory experiments show that the delay detonators, either electric (copper coated or aluminium) or non-electric (down-the-hole) as generally used in opencast mines and quarries have some scattering from the actual firing time due to manufacturing inaccuracy and variations in basic ingredients of the product. This scattering varies from 1 to 4 % depending on the product quality. Due to this component scatter, adverse blasting effects like misfires, overbreak, underbreak or fly-rock may occur if the design patterns are not judiciously made. It has also direct impact on muck profile and fragmentation.

Jan 1, 1999

By Ed Coulter

Nevada has a population of 1.2 million people of which only 21% or 312,rIXl are native born Nevadans. he population between 1980-1990 grew a record of 389%. and ls the fastest growing state in the union. While only 2.5% of the total population are direct employees of the mining industry, excluding Reno and Las Vegas, one out of every three people living in Nevada work for a mining related industry.

Jan 1, 1991

By Bill Loviza, Jimmy Sanders

This report is not everything we would like it to be. Access to information concerning unresolved legal actions is a sensitive matter. Obtaining the information presented in this report was a challenge alone. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Division of Fire Prevention, the firms and individuals that elected to share information did so with various assurances of nondisclosure, confidentiality or anonymity. All those providing information did so with the expectation that the industry and ultimately the public would benefit from this effort. We offer special thanks to Assistant Commissioner, Fire Prevention, Emmett Turner, recently retired Director, Bomb and Arson, Dick Gardner and Director, Codes Enforcement, Randy Safer for support that made this endeavor possible. We make no claim with regard to being a scientific study. We did the best we could with available information. Our task was one of assembly, sorting and reporting. Where collateral information was available we used it.

Jan 1, 2004

By : D. Lawrence

Certain blasting applications are more prone to the generation of significant levels of nitrogen dioxide post blast fumes, more commonly referred to as after blast smoke, generally ranging in color from dark yellow to bright red. This paper reviews basic background chemistry defining the observed fumes and attempts to correlate geology, blast design, and explosive composition effects on the level of nitrogen dioxide that can be observed in various blasting conditions. Additionally, a test setting for evaluating the generation of post blast fumes is presented with pertinent test data detailing generic explosive formulation modifications which effect the overall level of post detonation generation of nitrogen dioxide.

Jan 1, 1996

By Syed Haq, Kyle Optt, David Campo, Doug Anderson

Limitations on allowable levels of vibration from construction activities generally consider either annoyance or damage. While activities such as drilling and roller compaction primarily create annoyance, the major concern for blasting is usually damage. Many years of research have developed correlations between peak particle velocity and either threshold or structural damage. We emphasize the term “correlation” for two reasons. First, peak particle velocity is only a single-valued representation of a vibration waveform, and does not characterize it completely. Second, a given peak particle velocity by itself, even a particle velocity waveform, will not damage anything – strain does. Why not measure strain all the time? Strain is very localized, and can vary substantially over short distances, so choosing the appropriate strain measurement can be difficult. Measurement of strain is appropriate when either the behavior of a specific structural element is needed, or the overall response of a structure can be adequately represented by a well-selected strain measurement. We will discuss the appropriateness of both particle velocity and strain as deformation and damage descriptors, in general. We will also describe a specific case history, from a tunnel project in New Jersey, correlating strain with peak particle velocity. Finally, we will make recommendations for the choice of measurement type for some common situations.

Jan 1, 2004

By Roger Favreau, Patrice Favreau

Without blasting there can be no roads, no hospitals, no factories, not even foundations for homes. Yet in 1960 the only way to design a blast was by trial/error. By comparison, bridges were already designed by calculations before being actually built. This was possible because equations based on the fundamental principles of science existed with which all the stresses in the bridge could be calculated. In 1960 no equations based on the fundamental principles of science existed with which the mechanisms that take place inside the rock mass during a blast could be calculated. Since then the main author made it the objective of his research to seek such equations, and to validate that they gave accurate answers by means of experiments in the field, experiments made in co-operation with mines, quarries and the explosives industry; results have been reported in some 90 publications.These equations now deal with essentially all aspects of a bench blast: the intensity of the shock wave and the fragmentation size distribution throughout the rock mass; the movement of all the fragments into the muck pile; the fly rock and vibrations from the blast; etc.; are presented examples of such equations. They are now assembled into a computer simulator called Blaspa accessible on the Web, with which one can design a blast just as a bridge is designed. An example is presented. The reason to design a blast by simulations rather than solely by trial/error is that if it leads to damage, it is only after the actual blast that the blast design is realized to cause damage. If however the blast design had been simulated before the blast, then the risk of damage is identified before the blast and is prevented by redesigning the blast. Examples of such situations are presented. The need to a void damage is very necessary because the public is becoming opposed to blasting. When a blast does cause damage, and people learn that the blast was designed solely by trial/error even though simulation was available and would have prevented damage, they become even more strongly against blasting; they may succeed in getting a quarry closed. Their objections to unchecked blasting are not unreasonable, especially as simulating a blast with Blaspa on the Web is a very simple procedure.

Jan 1, 2013

By Larry Schneider

"0 ne of the incentives that led to the development of non-electric shock tube initiation systems was the desire within the industry to improve detonator safety. And to the extent that nonelectric initiators are immune to the hazards of stray current and radio frequency energy found on normal blast sites, an advancement in safety has been accomplished. However, as a cautionary note, it is important to realize that there are still many hazards associated with any initiation system. While some of these hazards may differ from those associated with electric detonators, others are identical to those associated with any type of initiation system. For instance, contrary to what some uninformedblasters may believe, lightning remains a hazard when using nonelectric initiation as well as electric initiation."

Jan 1, 1995

By J Lyall Workman, Peter N. Calder

"Large hole rotary drilling is one of the most common methods of producing blastholes in open pitmining. Large hole drilling generally refers to diameters from 9 to 17 inch (229 to 432 mm), however aconsiderable amount of rotary drilling is done in diameters from. 6% to 9 inch (165 to 229 mm). Thesesmaller diameters are especially prevalent in gold mining and quarrying."

Jan 1, 1996