Application of Hilbert-Huang transform based delay time identification in optimization of short millisecond blasting

The accurate identification of delay time in millisecond blasting plays an important role in the optimization of blasting design and reduction of vibration effect. Through a case study of a surge shaft blasting project, the capability of the EMD （empirical mode decomposition） method in identifying the delay time of short millisecond blasting with precise initiation was compared with the instantaneous energy method based on Hilbert-Huang transform （HHT）. The recognition rate of the EMD method was more than 80%, while the instantaneous energy method was less than 25%. By analyzing the instantaneous energy of single-hole blasting signal, it was found that the instantaneous energy method was adaptable to millisecond blasting with delay time longer than half of the energy peak period. The EMD method was used to identify delay time of millisecond blasting in Zijinshan open-pit mine. According to the identification results, the blasting parameters were optimized for controlling the blast-induced vibration and reducing the large block ratio. The field data showed that the velocity peak of ground vibration was reduced by more than 30%under almost the same maximum charge per delay by the optimization of delay time and detonating detonators. Combining with slag-remaining blasting and burden optimization of the first row, the large block ratio was reduced to less than 3%. The research results proved that the identification method based on HHT was feasible to optimize the blasting design. The identification method is also of certain reference value for design optimization of other similar blasting projects.

An empirical approach for predicting burden velocities in rock blasting

An analytical relation between burden velocity and ratio of burden to blasthole diameter is developed in this paper.This relation is found to be consistent with the measured burden velocities of all 37 full-scale blasts found from published articles.These blasts include single-hole blasts,multi-hole blasts,and simultaneously-initiated blasts with various borehole diameters such as 64 mm,76 mm,92 mm,115 mm,142 mm and 310 mm.All boreholes were fully charged.The agreement between measured and calculated burden velocities demonstrates that this relation can be used to predict the burden velocity of a wide range of full-scale blast with fully-coupled explosive charge and help to determine a correct delay time between adjacent holes or rows in various full-scale blasts involved in tunnelling(or drifting),surface and underground mining production blasts and underground opening slot blasts.In addition,this theoretical relation is found to agree with the measured burden velocities of 9 laboratory small-scale blasts to a certain extent.To predict the burden velocity of a small-scale blast,a further study or modification to the relation is necessary by using more small-scale blasts in the future.

Blasting technologies of vibration damping in subway tunnel passing under upper buildings closely

Reducing the blasting vibration is important for blasting excavation in subway tunnel construction.Taking the 3rd bid section of Line 3 of Qingdao subway project as an example,the distance between tunnel vault and ground is 5 ~ 8 m.In order to insure the safety of the upper buildings,technologies of parallel cut with large diameter empty hole,one-time initiation and delay by parts,and multiple shallow holes were adopted in the project.The results showed that the maximum value of vertical vibration was limited in the criterion allowance,and the upper buildings were not damaged.Besides,problems were solved that the number of nonel detonator was difficult to meet the requirements of excavating a large cross-section tunnel by blasting,multiple cross-section could’t be initiated simultaneously,and construction efficiency was low,which ensure the construction safety and schedule.

The mitigation negative effect of tunnel-blasting-induced vibrations on constructed tunnel and buildings

Provided the results of a research conducted to investigate the relationships between the empirical vibration attenuation equation of Peak Particle Velocity （PPV） and the Scaled Charge （SC） through testing the blasting-induced vibrations on the spot of Wanshishan tunnel based on 96 vibration recordings. It is found that the maximum charge amount per delay in Wanshishan tunnel excavating is determined by the buildings on the surface and the constructed tunnel nearby. Considering that the repeated blast loading in tunnel blasting caused accumulative effects of damage on buildings, comfortable threshold damage limits of PPV to maintain buildings safety was given. Dynamic Stress Ratio （DSR） was adopted to study the stability of constructed tunnel on the action of blasting induced vibrations. The method to determine specific maximum charge amount per delay in Wanshishan tunnel excavation was given. It is proved that the findings in this study are very effective to control the negative effects of blasting-induced vibrations on buildings on the surface and constructed tunnel nearby.