Blasting Technology PDF

Blasting technology
1
DEFINITION OF TERMS RELATED TO
BLASTING
• A blasting operation refers to an act of preparing,
placing, firing a charge, handling a misfire, and
destroying or disposing of explosive materials
• Blasting technology is the process of fracturing

material by the use of a calculated amount of
explosive so that a predetermined volume of
material is broken
• A blaster refer to a person who is the holder of a

valid blaster's certificate
2
BLASTING
• A blaster of record refers to a blaster designated
to be in charge of a blasting operation
• Blasting area: An area extending at least 50 m in

every direction from a place where explosive
materials are being prepared or fixed, or where
an unexploded charge exist
• Blasting log: A written record of loading details,

and the site examination after the blast
3
BLASTING
• Bootleg: Remnant of a blast hole which did not
properly break when the blast was initiated; also
called socket, butt or button.
• A charge: An explosive material which may or

may not contain a primer, and which is placed for
the purpose of detonation
• Danger area: The area around a blasting site

which may pose a threat to persons or property
from flying material resulting from a blast
4
BLASTING
• Dangerous incident: An accident or a near miss
situation caused by or resulting from the use of
explosives, and also includes an unexpected result or
problem with explosive products
• Explosive: A substance that is manufactured or used

to produce an explosion or detonation
• Igniter cord: A small diameter wire coated with an

combustible composition used to ignite a series of
safety fuse assemblies 5
BLASTING
• Isolated location: an area where people other than
the workers involved in the work project are not
allowed to be
• Magazine: A standard structure for the storage of

explosives.
• Different countries require different specifications
• Misfire: Refer to a charge or part of a charge which

on initiation failed to completely detonate posing a
danger 6
BLASTING
• Primer is an explosive to which a detonator or other
initiating device has been attached
• Safety fuse assembly is a manufactured blasting

accessory consisting of a length of safety fuse, an
igniter cord connector, and a detonator;
• Shunt is a metal (aluminum or brass) clip or foil used

to short out an electric detonator by interconnecting
the leg wires, or means the act of shorting out leg
wires by twisting them together; 7
BLASTING
• means a blasting technique which opens up a pocket
at the bottom of a blast hole so that successive larger
charges may be loaded and blasted;
• Stemming: means placing inert material in the

portion between the top of the explosive column and
the collar of a blast hole, intended to confine the
explosive
8
Explosives
• An explosive is a substance or a mixture, which
when subjected to thermal or mechanical shock,
gets very rapidly oxidized exothermically into
products of greatly increased volume with
sudden release of potential energy
• The type of explosive used in any blasting project

depends on the hardness and structural
characteristics of the rock and the overall
geometry of the cut (burden, depth, and width)
9
Explosives
• There are numerous types of explosives, and for each
type there are several different concentrations and
mixtures
• Properties to be considered when selecting an
explosive include
• Its velocity of detonation (is the velocity with which
the given explosive detonates)
• sensitivity (to impact, heat, spark or detonator
wave),
• brisance (refers to the shattering power of the
explosives)
• density,
10
Explosives
• Strength (is the energy liberated per unit mass of the
explosive)
• water resistance
• fumes
• price
• availability
• Key components of an explosive include the

following:
• A detonator: Cylindrical metal shells close at one end

having 6.8 mm dia & 50 mm height. The ignition of
detonator is done by blasting fuse.
11
Explosives
Fuses: Fuses are required to ignite explosives
They are in the form of a small rope of cotton with core

of continuous thread of gun powder
The rate of burning is about 1 cm/sec
They enable the person firing the charge to move to a

safe distance before the explosion takes place
A blasting cap: Small explosive device used to detonate a

larger, more powerful explosive such as dynamite
Usually placed just above the main charge

12
13
14
Classification of explosives
• Explosives may be in the form of solids TNT
(trinitrotoluene), liquids or gases (H2 and O2)
• They may exist as a single component (TNT),
• A mixture of two or more substances none of which

is explosives by itself (gun powder),
• A mixture of one or more explosives compounds

(TNT + NH4NO3) or
• An explosives compound mixed with a non- explosive

material (dynamite) 15
Classification of explosives
• Explosives are broadly classified into 3 groups:
• Low explosives
• primary high explosives and
• secondary high explosives
16
Low explosives
• Examples includes black powder (mixture of 75%
potassium nitrate, 15% charcoal, 10% sulphur),
• Smokeless powder and flash powder
• They do not explode suddenly but only burn and,

their rate of combustion rarely exceed 0.25 ms-1
• Low explosives are used as propellants (to propel

missiles) and in pyro-techniques (fireworks)
• It is mainly used for military purposes

17
Primary high explosives
• Examples includes Lead azide (PbN6), Lead
styphnate, Mercury fulminate (Hg(CNO)2), DDNP
(Diazodinitrophenol) and Tetracene (C2H7N7O)
• These are highly sensitive explosives which can

explode under slightest shock or blow, by ignition,
and have to be very carefully handled
• They are used in comparative small quantities in

blasting caps and cartridges
18
Secondary high explosives
• This type is quite insensitive to mechanical shock as
well as to flame i.e. they do not explode on ignition
• They explode with great violence when initiated with

the aid of detonators
• They possess higher energy contents then primary

explosives and are stable. Secondary high explosives
are mainly Nitro compounds
• It is divided into boosters and main charge

19
Secondary high explosives
• Boosters includes PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate)
and RDX (Research Department Explosive) while
examples of main charge explosives include
dynamite, binary explosives, water gels, emulsions,
TNT (trinitrotoluene) and ANFO (Ammonium nitrate
and fuel oil)
• The secondary high explosives are the most

commonly use in transport and mine blasting
operation due to their flexibility in handling and
safety control
20
21
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Transporting and handling of
explosives
• Dynamite and detonators should be kept separately
when storing and transporting
• Vehicle carrying explosives should carry a warning

sign and operated with care
• The smoking or the carrying of matches and

lighteners etc, should not be permitted on or around
a vehicle transporting explosives
• Wiring on motor-truck used for moving explosives

should be heavily insulated 23
Transporting and handling of
explosives
• Explosives should be stored in dry ventilated bullet
proof and fire resistant magazines, away from
buildings and roads
24
THEORY OF ROCK BLASTING
• Blasting is the process of rock fragmentation and
displacement
• Blasting can be affected by the following variables

- Rock mass properties
- Explosive properties
- Blast geometry
- Angles of the blast holes towards free face

25
• During blasting, the rock is affected by the detonation
in three principal stages
• First, a shock wave released by the detonation passes

through the rock mass at a velocity of 3000 - 6000 m/s,
depending mainly on the rock geology
• This velocity corresponds to 0.15 - 0.3 milliseconds per

meter of burden
• The rock is stressed by compression
26
• The waves crushes the blasthole walls and produces
microscopic joints
• The joints help to break and cut the rock in the second
stage
• Shock waves are reflected from bench faces or joints in

the rock
• After reflecting from free faces, the shock waves

expose the rock to tensile forces
27
28
• Experiments have shown that the velocity of the

shock wave after reflection is 500 m/s - 2000 m/s
or 0.5 - 2.0 milliseconds per meter of burden
• Tensile forces cause small primary, often radial,

cracks that extend from the center of the hole
• Upon detonation, large quantities of high-

pressure gases are formed
29
• Through rapid heat release, the expanding gases spread into the
primary cracks
• As the cracks expand, the rock’s free surface moves forward,
• Pressure is unloaded and tension increases in the primary cracks
• The primary cracks then expand to the surface which promotes the
complete loosening of the rock
• The burden is consequently torn off
30
• The following formula gives the movement speed of

the torn-off burden as a function of rock hardness,
burden distance and charging per meter of hole:
• V0 = (K/V1.17)I0.39
• Where v0 = speed of movement (m/s)
• K = constant of rock hardness (soft rock = 15, hard rock
= 33)
• V = burden (m)
• I = charging per meter (kg/m)
31
• The explosive reaction in the blast hole is very

fast and its power is considered completed
when blast hole volume has expanded to 10
times its original volume which takes approx.
5 ms.
32

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Blasting technology

• Blasting technology is the process of fracturing

• A blaster refer to a person who is the holder of a

• Blasting area: An area extending at least 50 m in

• Blasting log: A written record of loading details,

• A charge: An explosive material which may or

• Danger area: The area around a blasting site

• Explosive: A substance that is manufactured or used

• Igniter cord: A small diameter wire coated with an

• Magazine: A standard structure for the storage of

• Different countries require different specifications

• Misfire: Refer to a charge or part of a charge which

• Safety fuse assembly is a manufactured blasting

• Shunt is a metal (aluminum or brass) clip or foil used

• Stemming: means placing inert material in the

• The type of explosive used in any blasting project

• Key components of an explosive include the

• A detonator: Cylindrical metal shells close at one end

They are in the form of a small rope of cotton with core

The rate of burning is about 1 cm/sec

They enable the person firing the charge to move to a

A blasting cap: Small explosive device used to detonate a

Usually placed just above the main charge

• They may exist as a single component (TNT),

• A mixture of two or more substances none of which

• A mixture of one or more explosives compounds

• An explosives compound mixed with a non- explosive

• primary high explosives and

• secondary high explosives

• Smokeless powder and flash powder

• They do not explode suddenly but only burn and,

• Low explosives are used as propellants (to propel

• It is mainly used for military purposes

• These are highly sensitive explosives which can

• They are used in comparative small quantities in

• They explode with great violence when initiated with

• They possess higher energy contents then primary

• It is divided into boosters and main charge

• The secondary high explosives are the most

• Vehicle carrying explosives should carry a warning

• The smoking or the carrying of matches and

• Wiring on motor-truck used for moving explosives

• Blasting can be affected by the following variables

- Angles of the blast holes towards free face

• First, a shock wave released by the detonation passes

• This velocity corresponds to 0.15 - 0.3 milliseconds per

• The rock is stressed by compression

• Shock waves are reflected from bench faces or joints in

• After reflecting from free faces, the shock waves

• Experiments have shown that the velocity of the

• Tensile forces cause small primary, often radial,

• Upon detonation, large quantities of high-

• As the cracks expand, the rock’s free surface moves forward,

• Pressure is unloaded and tension increases in the primary cracks

• The burden is consequently torn off

• The following formula gives the movement speed of

• The explosive reaction in the blast hole is very

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