Canadian Liquefaction Experiment (CANLEX): Blast-Induced Ground Motion and Pore Pressure Experiments

Abstract

Abstract As part of the Canadian Liquefaction Experiment (CANLEX), single and multiple explosive charges were detonated in a level deposit of loose, saturated, sand-size mine tailings. Empirical equations were developed from pore pressure and ground motion recorded at several locations. A condition of zero effective stress was induced at a depth of 6 m when peak particle velocity exceeded 0.65 m/s for single detonations and 0.13 m/s for twelve detonations having millisecond delays. Little or no excess pore pressure was induced from single or multiple detonations when peak particle velocity or peak compressive strain was less than 0.01 m/s or 0.001 %, respectively. The blasting experiments were conducted and analyzed to determine blast-induced ground motion and pore pressure response in a level deposit and to determine the possibility of using explosives to trigger flow-liquefaction in tailings located below an embankment, while keeping peak particle velocities within limits set by Syncrude Canada, Ltd.