Determination of the Effective Blasting Region by Using Fragmentation Analysis: A Field Study

Abstract

Fragmentation, the most common method for assessing blast efficiency, provides significant benefits to post-blast operations. The most important parameter affecting fragmentation in blasting is geological formation characteristics. This study aimed to investigate the blasting efficiency on different geological units in the blasting area using WipFrag fragmentation analyses and to suggest ways to increase of blasting efficiency. With this aim, 30 blasts were observed in the Caldag raw material field of Adana Cement Turkish Inc., which has very heterogeneous geological features. The study field was examined by dividing it into 3 geological units as “limestone,” “clayey limestone,” and “clayey limestone + marl.” During the observations, scaled images were taken in each blasting area for in situ block size distribution before blasting and muckpile size distribution after blasting. In situ block size distribution and muckpile size distribution were evaluated using WipFrag software, and the fragmentation index of each blast was determined. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to determine the differences in the fragmentation index in the field. As a result of ANOVA analysis, there were differences between the geological units in terms of fragmentation index, and of the unit with the highest blasting efficiency was the “Clayey limestone + marl” unit.