Environmantally sensitive blasting desing program for mining operations

vENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE BLASTING DESING PROGRAM FOR MININGOPERATIONSİsmail TOPALMining Engineering, M.Sc. Thesis, 2004Thesis Supervisor: Prof.Dr. Birol ELEVLİSUMMARYIn this study, a computer program was developed in order to estimate ground vibrationswhich are the most important environmental effects occurring as a result of drilling and blastingoperations carried out to slacken rocks in open pit mining before blasting.In order to develop this computer program commonly accepted formulas related to thesubject is reached as a result of literature research. But to use these formulas, the area constantsreflecting the geological and geophysical characteristics particular to that area need to bedetermined.Determination of area constants by carrying out detailed analysis under miningconditions requires difficult and time consuming process. To overcome this difficulty and tomake vibration estimation practically before each blasting operation, area constants of each areaare determined using regression and correlation analysis by benefiting from the results ofprevious controlled blasting operations. With the help of these constants, according tocommonly accepted formulas, the maximum amount of explosive material that can be utilizedper delay with respect to vibration estimation and the desired vibration level can be calculated.Key Words : Earth Vibration Estimation, Environmental Effects of Blasting, Regression andCorrelation Analysis