Optimum delay interval design in delay blasting

The major concern of this research is the reduction of blast vibrations at certain points of foremost importance. A procedure for optimum delay interval design, considering detonation time errors of the electric detonators, was proposed. Using the relationship between the peak particle velocity (PPV) and the delay at certain points of interest which was calculated by means of a computer program by simulating the superposition of the vibration waves emitted from each borehole, one can usually select the optimal delay interval in order to minimize the PPV. But due to the variations in the actual delay caused by the detonation time errors, the expected PPV usually not only depends on the nominal delay but also on the sensitivity of the PPV. Therefore, the selection of the optimum time interval for a delay blast should be based on both the optimum as well as several sub-optimal time intervals as candidates. In addition, the detonation time errors should be taken into consideration. Also, a new design concept, called ‘combined delay blasting’, which uses electronic detonators, is proposed to further reduce the PPV at the points of interest. Estimated vibration time histories based on this concept and their PPVs indicated considerably favorable results.