Abstract:
Dynamite has been the premier and the only high explosive used for mining and construction activities in Sri Lanka for a long period of time. Negative
environmental impacts, effect on health and security hazards led to the Government
of Sri Lanka (GOSL) to issue directives to find a suitable substitute for Dynamite.
Subsequently, Water-Gel explosive was introduced in the year 2011. The poor performance of Water-Gels in wet conditions and it’s low Velocity of Detonation encouraged the use of Emulsion explosives.
This research was focused on performing a comparative study of the performance of both Water-Gels and Emulsion explosives by analysis of the ground vibration and the blast air over pressures.
The methodology adopted was to conduct ten blasts at one single metal quarry site
keeping all other parameters constant. Blasting tests were performed using
Emulsion explosives and Water-Gel explosives and the resulting ground vibration and Air-Blast overpressures were measured with Blastmate 111model for each blast.
Calculation of mean fragmentation was done and particle size distribution based on photographic evidence of each blast was analyzed. Analysis was carried out
demarcating the resultant production pile of aggregates covering a cleared zone.
Grid lines inserted on the muck pile facilitated particle counting using photographs and calculating the mean fragmentation.
