THE DEVELOPMENT OF LONG BLAST ROUNDS AT AECL’S UNDERGROUND RESEARCH LABORATORY

Abstract

Mineral Resources EngineeringVol. 04, No. 03, pp. 225-235 (1995) No AccessTHE DEVELOPMENT OF LONG BLAST ROUNDS AT AECL’S UNDERGROUND RESEARCH LABORATORYG.W. KUZYK, D.P. ONAGI, S.G. KEITH, and G.R. KARKLING.W. KUZYKAECL Research, Pinawa, Manitob, Canada, ROE 1LO, Canada Search for more papers by this author , D.P. ONAGIAECL Research, Pinawa, Manitob, Canada, ROE 1LO, Canada Search for more papers by this author , S.G. KEITHAECL Research, Pinawa, Manitob, Canada, ROE 1LO, Canada Search for more papers by this author , and G.R. KARKLINAECL Research, Pinawa, Manitob, Canada, ROE 1LO, Canada Search for more papers by this author https://doi.org/10.1142/S0950609895000230Cited by:2 Next AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsRecommend to Library ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail AbstractAECL Research (AECL) has constructed the Underground Research Laboratory (URL) to carry out the research and development required for the Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program. A major objective of the program is to assess the concept of disposing of Canada’s nuclear fuel waste in plutonic rock of the Canadian Shield. Several multi-disciplinary experiments and engineering demonstrations are now underway at the URL. One demonstration involves the development of controlled blasting methods and quality control procedures for the excavation of the shafts and tunnels in a disposal facility.In 1994, AECL completed an access tunnel and test room required for the Solute-Transport-In-Moderately-Fractured-Rock Experiment at the 240m level. The blasts for this tunnel were designed to minimize the damage to the final tunnel walls and optimize performance. Various types of explosives and charge densities were utilized. Drilling equipment was adapted to accommodate the drilling of longer blastholes. Close attention was given to blasthole location and drilling accuracy. Consequently, the blast rounds were progressively lengthened to achieve a blast round length-to-diameter ratio exceeding 2.0, with a very high quality of tunnel surface.This paper describes the benefits resulting from increasing the blast round length. Procedures used to obtain a high quality of tunnel surface are discussed. The need for additional research to further improve productivity in tunneling and underground mine development by extending blast round length, while maintaining a high quality standard, is suggested. FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited By 2Numerical study on tunnel damage subject to blast loads in jointed rock massesShujie Chen and Zhengguo Zhu10 December 2022 | Environmental Earth Sciences, Vol. 81, No. 24C10 Nov 2010 Recommended Vol. 04, No. 03 Metrics History PDF download