Column kg per metre of column fGlrgiven densities (g/cm3) Column

Diameter >.
Diameter
mm 0.70 0.75 0.80 0.85 0.90 0.95 1.00 1.05 1.10 1.15 1.20 1.25 1.30 1.35 1.40 1.45 1.50 1.55 1.60 mm
25 0.34 0.37 0.39 0.42 0.44 0.47 0.49 0.52 0.54 0.56 0.59 0.61 0.64 0.66 0.69 0.71 0.74 0.76 0.78 25
29 0.46 0.50 0.53 0.56 0.59 0.63 0.66 0.69 ·0.73 0.76 0.79 0.83 0.86 0.89 0.92 0.96 0.99 1.02 1.06 29
32 0.56 0.60 0.64 0.68 0.72 0.76 0.80 0.84 0.88 0.92 0.97 1.01 1.05 1.09 1.13 1.17 1.21 1.25 1.29 32
35 0.67 0.72 0.77 0.82 0.87 0.91 0.96 1.01 1.06 1.11 1.15 1.20 1.25 1.30 1.35 1.40 1.44 1.49 1.54 '35
40 0.88 0.94 1.01 1.07 1.13 1.19 1.26 1.32 1.38 1.45 1.51 1.57 1.63 1.70 1.76 1.82 1.88 1.95 2.01 40
45 1.11 1.19 1.27 1.35 1.43 1.51 1.59 1.67 1.75 1.83 1.91 1.99 2.07 2.15 2.23 2.31 2.39 2.47 2.54 45
50 1.37 1.47 1.57 1.67 1.77 1.87 1.96 2.06 2.16 2.26 2.36 2.45 2.55 2.65 2.75 2.85 2.95 3.04 3.14 50
55 1.66 1.78 1.90 2.02 2.14 2.26 2.38 2.49 2.61 2.73 2.85 2.97 3.09 3.21 3.33 3.44 . 3.56 3.68 3.80 55
60 1.98 2.12 2.26 2.40 2.54 2.69 2.83 2.97 3.11 3.25 3.39 3.53 3.68 3.82 3.96 4.10 4.24 4.38 4.52 60
-65 2.32 2.49 2.65 2.82 ·2.99 3.15 3.32 3.48 3.65 3.82 3.98 4.15 4.31 4.48 4.65 4.81 4.98 5.14 5.31 65
70 2.69 2.88 3.08 3.27 3.46 3.66 3.85 4.04 4.23 4.43 4.62 4.81 5.00 5.20 5.39 5.58 5.77 5.97 6.16 70
75 3.09 3.31 3.53 3.7? ·3.98 4."20 4.42 4.64 4.86 5.08 5.30 5.52 5.74 5.96 6.18 6.41 6.63 6.85 7.07 75
. 80
85
3.52
3.97
3.77
4.26
4.02
4.54,
4.27
4.82
4.52
5.11
4.78
5.39
5.03
. 5.67
5.28
5.96
5.53
6.24
5.78
6.53
6.03
6.81
6.28
7.09
6.53
7.38
6.79
7.66
7.04
7.94
7.29
8.23
7.54
8.51
7.79
8.80
8.04
9.08
80
85
90 4.45 4.77 5.09 / 5.41 5.73 6.04 6.36 6.68 7.00 7.32 7.63 7.95 8.27 8.59 8.91 9.22 9.54 9.86 10.18 90
95 4.96 5.32 5.67 6.03 6.38 _ 6.73 7.09. 7.44 7.80 8.15 8.51 8.86 9.21 9.57 9.92 10.28 10.63 10.99 11.34 95
100 5.50 5.89 6.28 6.68 7.07 7:46 7.85- 8.25 8.64 9.03 9.42 9.82 10.21 10.60 11.00 11.39 11.78 12.17 12.57 100
'110 6.65 7.13 7.60 8.08 8.55 9.03 9.50 9.98 10.45 10.93 11.40 11.88 12.35 12.83 13.30 13.78 14.26 14.73 15.21 110
120 7.92 8.48 9.05 9.61 10.12 10.74 11.31 11.88 12.44 13.01 13.57 14.14 14.70 15.27 15.83 16.40 16.96 17.53 18.10 120
130 9.29 9.95 10.62 11.28 11.95 12.61 13.27 13.94 14.60 15.26 15.93 16.59 17.26 17.92 18.58 19.25 19.91 20.57 21.24 130
140 10.78 11.55 12.32 13.08 13.85 14.62 15.39 .16.16 16.93 17.70 18.47 19.24 20.01 20.78 21.55 22.32 23.09 23.86 24.63 140
150 12.37 13.25 14.14 15.02 15.90 16.79 17.67 18.56 19.44 20.32 21.21 22.09 22.97 23.86 24.74 25.62 26.51 27.39 28.27 150
175 16.84 18.04 19.24 20.44 21.65 22.85 24.05 25:26 26.46 27.66 28.86 30.07 31.27 32.47 33.67 34.88 36.08 37.28 38.48 175
200 21.99 23.56 25.13 26.70 28.27 29.85 31.42 33.99 34.56 36.13 37.70 39.27 40.84 42.41 43.98 45.55 47.12 48.69 50.27 200
225 27.83 29.82 31.81 33.80 35.78 37.77 39.76· 41.75 43.74 45.72 47.71 49.70 51.69 53.68 55.67 57.65 59.64 61.63 63.62 225
250 34.36 36.82 39.27 41.72 44.18 46.63 49.09 51.54 54.00 56.45 58.91 61.36 63.81 66.27 68,12 71.18 73.63 76.09 78.54 250
275 41.58 44.55 47.52 50.49 53.46 56.43 59.40 62.37 65.34 68.31 71.27 74.24 77.21 80.18 83.15 86.12 89.09 92.06 95.03 275
300 49.48 53.01 55.55 60.08 63.62 67.15 70.69 74.22 77.75 81.29 84.82 88.36 91.89 95.43 98.96 102.5 106.0 109.6 113.1 300
325 58.07 62.22 66.37 70.51 74.66 78.81 82.96 87.11 91.25 95.40 99.55 103.7 107.8 112.0 116.1 120.3 124.4 128.6 132.7 325
350 67.35 72.16 76.97 81.78 86.59 91.40 96.21 101.0 105.8 110.6 115.5 120.3 125.1 129.9 134.7 139.5 144.3 149.1 153.9 350
375 77.31 82.84 88.36 93.88 99.40 104.9 110.4 116.0 121.5 127.0 132.5 138.1 143.6 149.1 154.6 160.1 165.7 171.2 176.7 375
400 87.96 94.25 100.5 106.8 113.1 119.4 125.7 131.9 138.2 144.5 150.8 157.1 163.4 169.6 175.9 182.2 188.5 194.8. 201.1 400
425 99.30 106.4 113.5 120.6 127.7 134.8 141.9 149.0 156.0 163.1 170.2 177.3 184.4 191.5 198.6 205.7 212.8 219.9 227.0 425
450 111.3 119.3 127.2 135.2 143.1 151.1 159.0 167.0 174.9 182.9 190.9 198.8 206.8 214.7 222.7 230.6 238.6 246.5 254.5 450

g/m = 0.7854 P(mm)'

 VIBRATION where P = pressure (kPa)
W = mass of charge (Kg)
ESTIMATION OF VIBRATION LEVELS R = distance (m) from charge
It is particularly useful in estimating vibration levels at
distances up to 100 m. At greater distances the graph Airblast overpressure for confined blasthole charges may
becomes i ncreasi ngly conservative. be estimated by using the following formula:
Current field experience shows the following variations
from graph predictions: - 12
In basalt, in 4 out of 5 cases the vibration levels recorded
P = 30 ( 2L ) .
W'I3
have been 20% or less of graph predictions, whilst in 1 out
of 5 cases recorded the vibration levels have been 80% to
100% of graph predictions. CRITERIA FOR AIRBLAST DAMAGE
In some softer rock types, possibly due to moisture or Results of authoritative investigations are summarised
special geological conditions, vibration levels up to 3 times below:
of those predicted by the graphs have been recorded.
14 kPa - all windows fail.
5 kPa - some failure (of poorly fitted window panes).
At a critical location where there is no prior blasting
1 kPa - pre-stressed (or poorly fitted) window panes
experience it is wise to carry out initial blasts with a
have failed.
conservative charge quantity and to monitor the vibration
0.2 kPa - windows and dishes rattle.
level produced.

DAMAGE LIMITS IMPULSIVE NOISE

USBM interim sound level standards (Siskind and
Authoritative investigations have concluded that light
Summers, 1974) are as follows":
damage (i.e. cracking of wall-plaster) will not be caused by
vibration ievels below 50 mm/sec. db kPa
The SAA Explosives Code (CA23-1957) recommends a limit Safe Level (caution threshold) 128 0.048
of 19 mm/sec but states that this is a compromise between Limit of allowable impulsive noise 136 0.134
safety and comfort, heavily biased towards comfort with a
safety factor of 6 when considering a building in good
condition. "These measurements are taken by setting an impulse
precision sound level meter to measure noise on a 'linear
NOTES ON USE OF 'SCALED DISTANCE' peak' scale.
R SUBMARINE BLASTING
Scaled Distance (S.D.) = --'"7 .,-_
W1/,
CONCUSSION EFFECT UNDERWATER
This may be estimated for unconfined charges by using the
where W = charge weight per delay (kg)
following formu la:
R = distance between charge and
point of potential damage. R ) -1.13
The US Bureau of Mines has postulated that a scaled P =A ( -.W'13
distance of 22.5 m/kg'h, the broken line on the graph, can
be used to determine the charge weight per delay without where P =
peak pressure in kPa
the use of seismic instruments. However, it should be W = mass of explosives in kg.
remembered that the only reliable criterion for damage is R = distance from Charge to point affected by
peak particle velocity and therefore scaled distance pressure (in metres).
should be used with. caution. A = 54.6x103

AIRBLAST
Most routine blasting operations in which the explosives Rough estimates may be made using the approximation:
are enclosed in blastholes, and which are designed to limit 113
W
vibrations to less than 50 mml sec, do not generate airblast
overpressures that are significant factors in causing
P = 3
55 x 10 -
R
damage to residential structures .: For confined blast hole charges underwater
A low level of airblast does however playa significant part P (confined charge) = 0.4 P.
in worrying householders by shaking windows etc., and
complaints may be reduced by taking steps to reduce
PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF
airblast. UNDERWATER BLASTING
The most severe cases of airblast are caused by unconfined The following figures may be used as a guide:
surface charges. Airblast overpressure may be estimated
for unconfined surface charges by using the following
formula:
J500 Absolutely lethal to humans.
R ) - 1.2 1400 Lung injuries etc.
P = 185 ( - 280 50% chance of being lethal to small animals.
WV3
40 Absol utely safe to humans and animals.

16
 -I.

500

, 1-
300

50
I
30

10 -t'

~
i;'5
~
~
III
£3

II
OJ
'Qi
~
QJ
OJ
<il
f5

II 'I,

0,3

I
3 5 10 30 50 100 300 500 1000
I
I Distance from Charge (metres)
I Scaled Distance
I of 22,5 m/kgV2,

17