Production Blast-Induced Vibrations in Longhole Open Stoping

This paper examines stope design approaches employed at a metal mining operation in Canada for extraction of transverse primary, transverse secondary, and longitudinal stopes. Variations in stope and slot design, blast design, and blast vibration attenuation are presented in detail. It is shown that the type of blasthole stoping technique employed varies according to stope sequence and ore zone width. Within this range of stopes, blasting design practices have been standardized in terms of drillhole diameter, powder factor, and the type and pattern of the explosives used.

DEM Simulations in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering Education

Behaviour of geotechnical material is very complex. Most of the theoretical frame work to understand the behaviour of geotechnical materials under different loading conditions depends on the strong background of the basic civil engineering subjects and advanced mathematics. However, it is fact that the complete behaviour of geotechnical material cannot be traced within theoretical framework. Recently, computational models based on Finite Element Method (FEM) are used to understand the behaviour of geotechnical problems. FEM models are quite complex and is of little interest to undergraduate students. A simple computational tool developed using Discrete Element Method (DEM) to simulate the laboratory experiments will be cutting edge research for geotechnical earthquake engineering education. This article summarizes the potential of DEM to simulate the cyclic triaxial behaviour of granular materials under complex loading conditions. It is shown that DEM is capable of simulating the cyclic behavior of granular materials (e.g. undrained, liquefaction and post liquefaction) similar to the laboratory experiments.

Cyclic Pore Pressure Generation, Dissipation and Densification in Granular Mixes

Knowledge of cyclic load induced pore pressure generation, post-liquefaction dissipation and volumetric densification characteristics of sands, silty sands, and silts are important for the analysis of performance of loose saturated granular deposits in seismic areas. This article presents results from an experimental study of these characteristics for such soils containing 0 to 100% non-plastic silt. Pore pressure generation characteristics are studied using undrained cyclic triaxial tests. Pre- and post-liquefaction compressibility and coefficient of consolidation, and post-liquefaction volumetric densification characteristics are determined from consolidation data prior to cyclic tests and pore pressure dissipation tests following undrained cyclic tests. Effects of fines content on these characteristics compared to those of clean sands are examined in the context of intergranular void ratio and intergranular contact density concepts.

Investigations on Impact of Blasting in Tunnels

Blasting with longer advance per round leaves an impact both visible (in the form of overbreak) and invisible (cracks) in the surrounding rockmass, however, a number of controlled-blasting techniques, that is line drilling, pre-splitting, and smooth blasting, have been developed to minimise this problem. These techniques require additional drilling, controlled charging, and detonation, and thus, are not preferred in regular development activities. Investigations have been carried out in five different horizontal development drivages of metal mines to assess the blasting impact using burn cut and arrive at the blast-induced rock damage (BIRD) model. Vibration monitoring close to the blast was carried out using accelerometers for the first time in India to develop vibration predictors and overbreak threshold levels for individual sites. This paper reports the development of the overbreak predictive model (BIRD) for burn cut blasting in hard rock drivages by combining the relevant rock, blast design, and explosive parameters. A multivariate statistical model has been developed and validated and the same can find ready application in tunnels and mines for exercising suitable engineering controls both in blast design and explosive selection for reduced basting impacts.

Development of a New Blast Vibration Prediction Model Incorporating Burden Variations in Surface Blasting

The globally followed common vibration predictor model includes distance from source to vibration monitoring location and quantity of explosive charge per delay without giving much consideration to blast design parameters. Though there are qualitative assertions on the influence of burden on the vibration intensity by many researchers, no work on quantification of influence of burden has been reported. This paper deals with the development of a predictor model incorporating burden deviations in the existing predictor equation. The influence of burden on the vibration was viewed from the angle of detonation and rock fracturing during blasting. The new predictor equation is based on existing models developed by other researchers on the influence of burden on the blasthole pressure and vibration intensity as well as on some logical assumptions. The influence of burden on vibration was examined in two independent phases of blasting, and the net effect was calculated by adding the influence in both the phases. The study provides a quantitative explanation for the common observations of increased vibration levels produced by the blast rounds with excess burden and/or misfired shots.

Evaluation of Peak Ground Acceleration and Response Spectra Considering the Local Site Effects

The local site effects play an important role in the evaluation of seismic hazard. The proper evaluation of the local site effects will help in evaluating the amplification factors for different locations. This article deals with the evaluation of peak ground acceleration and response spectra based on the local site effects for the study area. The seismic hazard analysis was done based on a probabilistic logic tree approach and the peak horizontal acceleration (PHA) values at the bed rock level were evaluated. Different methods of site classification have been reviewed in the present work. The surface level peak ground acceleration (PGA) values were evaluated for the entire study area for four different site classes based on NEHRP site classification. The uniform hazard response spectrum (UHRS) has been developed for the city of Bangalore and the details are presented in this work.

Dynamic Tensile Test of Coal, Shale and Sandstone Using Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar

The dynamic tensile strength plays a pivotal role in rock fragmentation affecting the overall economics under the present ‘Mine to Mill Concept’. In this paper, a modified SHPB technique and Brazilian test method is presented to test the dynamic tensile strength of coal, shale and sandstone rock samples collected from three opencast mines of Coal India Limited and is compared with the static strength value. The dynamic tensile strength of coal and rock is much higher than static strength and tensile strength of coal and rock samples increase with loading rate. The result shows that the dynamic strength of the coal sample is 1.5 times higher than static strength and the dynamic strength of the sandstone sample is 3 times higher than the static strength.

Blast Induced Damage Due to Repeated Vibrations in Jointed Gneiss Rock Formation

Blasting is the most common method of rock excavation technique in mining and civil construction and infrastructure projects. Rock blasting produces seismic waves similar to those produced by earthquakes, but with relatively high frequency and low amplitude. General blast induced damage was extensively studied by researchers globally, but the studies on damage due to repeated blast vibrations is not yet reported, quantitatively, on underground openings. This paper deals with the research work carried on the effect of repeated dynamic loading imparted on the jointed rock mass from subsequent blasts in the vicinity, on the jointed rock mass at Lohari Nag Pala Hydroelectric Power Construction Project. The blast induced damage was monitored by borehole extensometers, borehole camera inspection surveys and triaxial geophones installed at three test sites of different joint orientations at the Main Access Tunnel of power house. The study reveals that there was extra damage of 60%, exclusively due to repeated blast vibrations. The results of the study indicate that repeated dynamic loading, resulted in damage even at 33% of the conventional damage threshold vibrations (Vc) in case of favorable joint orientations and 23% of Vc in case of unfavorable joints. The paper concludes in quantification of effect of repeated blast loading and the orientation of joints on the extension of damage zone in jointed rock mass of underground excavations.

Effect of Superstructure Stiffness on Liquefaction-Induced Failure Mechanisms

Soil liquefaction following strong earthquakes causes extensive damage to civil engineering structures. Foundations of buildings, bridges etc can suffer excessive rotation/settlement due to liquefaction. Many of the recent earthquakes bear testimony for such damage. In this article a hypothesis that “Superstructure stiffness can determine the type of liquefaction-induced failure mechanism suffered by the foundations” is proposed. As a rider to this hypothesis, it will be argued that liquefaction will cause failure of a foundation system in a mode of failure that offers least resistance. Evidence will be offered in terms of field observations during the 921 Ji-Ji earthquake in 1999 in Taiwan and Bhuj earthquake of 2001 in India. Dynamic centrifuge test data and finite element analyses results are presented to illustrate the traditional failure mechanisms.

A Site Specific Study on Evaluation of Design Ground Motion Parameters

Design ground motions are usually developed by one of the two approaches: site-specific analyses or from provisions of building codes. Although contemporary codes do consider approximately the site effects, they provide more conservative estimates. Hence it is preferred to carry out site specific analysis which involves both the seismic hazard analysis and ground response analysis. This article presents a site specific analysis for a seismically vulnerable site near Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The seismic hazard analysis was carried out by DSHA approach considering seismicity and seismotectonics within 250km radius. The site is predominantly characterized by deep stiff sandy clay deposits. Extensive shear wave velocity measurement by cross hole test is used for site classification and ground response analysis. The ground response analysis was carried out by equivalent linear approach using SHAKE2000. It is found that the deep stiff soil site considered is found to amplify the ground motion. The site specific response spectra obtained from RRS analysis is compared with the codal provision which reveals high spectral acceleration in site specific spectra for mid period range.