Basic Blasting Patterns

Dr. B. C. Paul 2000 Note The concepts contained in these slides represent the authors view of information commonly held among those well studied in the field. Some of the figures contained in these slides were taken from or prepared with inspiration from the Blasters Handbook published by DuPont.

Blasting Nomenclature
Free Face - open area at the rock air interface essential that broken rock has a place to go to avoid energy turning to bad vibrations Row - a line up of holes running parallel to the Free Face Spacing - the distance between holes in a row Burden - the distance from a row of holes to the free face - the rock that must be broken up and moved by the explosive

Drilling Patterns

Square Pattern - ease of drilling - easily explained to labor - not a lot of judgement to lay out - just one number to remember Spacing > Burden improves fragmentation - but not available here

Rectangular Pattern

Provides for spacing > Burden - Improves fragmentation if you can get your drillers to put one down

Staggered Pattern

Provides Spacing > Burden by a considerable amount

Problem of leaving stumps on quarry floor - next row takes them out

And Your People Can Drill it Too!

Firing Patterns
All shots need a free face for rock to move to
With several rows must wait for material in front to move to create a free face

Lack of a free face turns throw energy in vibration

causes cracking behind holes - called back break - can make future faces hard to support 25 to 40 ms would be common

Plough Cut

Properties of the Plough Cut

Gives long linear muck pile along the face Open Free Face Helps to Avoid Confinement Problems Movement Perpendicular to Face Can Maximize forward throw which may be problematic for narrow benches Needs a Rectangular drill pattern to get spacing > burden
Also used with staggered drill pattern

Peculiar Edge Delays on Plough Cut

Plough Cut Often Fires the Entire Row at One Time Note That Edge Holes Seem to Fire Later Explosive Action Must Tear the Rock Away of 3 sides - more open space eases the burden to be pushed
By delaying edge holes provides 2 free faces to throw to

Considerations in Firing
Starts at One End of Shot and Spreads Across Can See Hole Initiate on Surface Before Break-up begins at face Primer is generally placed in toe - Note That heave begins at bottom Top Will Swell
Usually causes top to slump down In Quarry the timing will be set to heave clear of face

Rock Pile may have larger pieces from stemming zone

Plough Cut In the Field

The V Cut

Properties of the V Cut

Firing Pattern Rips out a V Shape Wedge Firing Pattern Alters the Position of the Free Face for Later Firing Holes
Provides a 2:1 Spacing to Burden Ratio with a Square Pattern

Tends to Throw Material into Centrally Collected Muck Pile

Can be good for limited bench room

More About V Cuts

Central Collection Tends to Create More Potential Confinement Real Caps dont get the Delay Times Perfect - called cap scatter
If hole at apex of V doesnt fire - confinement for next row back will be severe

Modifications of the V Cut

Flatten the apex of the V - fire two maybe three holes in a row at top of the V
Spread the pile out a bit more More forgiving of a cap misfire Can see at some point Plough and V cuts may melt into each other

Fire Only One Side of the V at two free faces - Called Row Echelon Form

Row Echelon Firing Sequence

Row Echelon in the Field