An Approach to The Prediction of Air Shock Caused by Blasting Operations in Limestone Quarries

While blasting operations provides fast and efficient extraction of material, it also has environmental impacts. In particular, effects such as air shock, vibration, dust and noise have the potential to disrupt the environmental balance. Therefore, minimizing the environmental impact of blasting operations, especially in quarries, and managing them in accordance with sustainable mining principles is of great importance for the future of the sector and the protection of the health and safety of society. The study used data from 75 blasting operations carried out in three different limestone quarries. The measurement results obtained were evaluated using a statistical program and the impact of blasting practices on environmental sustainability was investigated. In particular, a new model was developed to minimize the effects of air shock. This prediction model achieved a high success rate of 90.42%. However, the fundamental assumptions of regression analysis were also evaluated in the study. The model can be used as a valuable guide in the management and planning of blasting operations. Predicting the effects of air shock is becoming an important element of environmental protection efforts. The prediction model includes the parameters of instantaneous charge, burden, spacing, hole length and measurement distance. At the end of the study, the air shock measurement results of 6 blasting operations carried out in different limestone quarries were interpreted by comparing them with the values determined by the prediction model and calculation method.