Prediction and control of ground vibrations due to blasting activities in aggregate mines

Predicting and controlling ground vibrations from blasting is crucial for protecting structures and minimizing environmental impacts. This study investigates how explosive quantity and scaled distances affect peak particle velocity and establishes empirical equations to estimate this velocity at different distances from the blast area. The study found that the maximum charge per delay at a peak particle velocity of 10 mm/s was reduced to 13.46% as the delay timing was increased from 0 to 25 ms and 9.99% from 0 to 50 ms delay timing. The reduction of maximum charge with increasing delay timing leads to the reduction of ground vibration. The developed model is validated with statistical analysis and field data, offering practical tools for optimizing blast designs to reduce ground vibrations. Blast monitoring data showed that over 98% of events had frequencies above 8 Hz, leading the study to use peak particle velocity thresholds of 10 mm/s and 15 mm/s. The statistical analysis showed a strong correlation between predicted and observed peak particle velocity for delay durations. The coefficient of determination was 0.83, 0.89, and 0.90 for 0, 25 ms, and 50 ms delay timings, respectively, underscoring the precision and reliability of the predictive models.