1. Effects, Responses & Regulations
Blasting
Effects, Responses & Regulations

2. Blasting Uses
Coal Mining
Aggregate Mining
Construction

3. Typical Blast Design

4. Confinement

5. Blast Logs

6. Distance from Blasting Key to Determining Possible Effects
Permit
Area

7. Spatial Considerations
Most Affected
(Ground Vibrations)
Least Affected
Most Affected
(Air Blast)
Mining Pit

8. Adverse Effects
Ground Vibrations
Air Blast
Flyrock
Fumes

9. Adverse Effects Airblast 1,100 fps Blast Home Body Waves 20,000 fps
Surface Waves
5,000 fps

10. Ground Vibrations & Air Blast

11. Seismogram
Shows
Vibration
Waves

12. Structure Response Amplitude - How hard they are shaken
Frequency - How they are shaken

13. Flyrock - Debris from Blasting

15. Gases Released by Detonation

16. Noxious Gases
Carbon Monoxide – CO
Nitrous Oxides – NOx

17. Regulations: Ground Vibrations
Limits – According to US Bureau of Mines Report of Investigation 8507, Appendix B (Z-Curve)
Damage Threshold – 0.5 in/s

18. Z-Curve

19. Regulations: Air Blast
Limit – 133 dB
Damage Threshold – more than 140 dB

20. Regulations: Flyrock
Overburden, stone, clay or other material ejected from blast site by blast force
Blasting may not cause flyrock

21. Regulations: Flyrock Measures taken to reduce the risk of flyrock:
Use blasting mats or other protective devices to prevent injuries or damage
For vertical faces, check for loose, hanging material or other faults before loading the blast holes

22. Regulations: Fumes
Conduct blasts so gases generated do not affect public’s health & safety
Prevent effects from gases
Vent gases
Interrupt the path of gas flow
Evacuate people from areas that may contain gases