Abstract
The environmental effects of blasting must be controlled in order to comply with regulatory limits. Because of safety concerns and risk of damage to infrastructures, equipment, and property, and also having a good fragmentation, flyrock control is crucial in blasting operations. If measures to decrease flyrock are taken, then the flyrock distance would be limited, and, in return, the risk of damage can be reduced or eliminated. This paper deals with modeling the level of risk associated with flyrock and, also, flyrock distance prediction based on the rock engineering systems (RES) methodology. In the proposed models, 13 effective parameters on flyrock due to blasting are considered as inputs, and the flyrock distance and associated level of risks as outputs. In selecting input data, the simplicity of measuring input data was taken into account as well. The data for 47 blasts, carried out at the Sungun copper mine, western Iran, were used to predict the level of risk and flyrock distance corresponding to each blast. The obtained results showed that, for the 47 blasts carried out at the Sungun copper mine, the level of estimated risks are mostly in accordance with the measured flyrock distances. Furthermore, a comparison was made between the results of the flyrock distance predictive RES-based model, the multivariate regression analysis model (MVRM), and, also, the dimensional analysis model. For the RES-based model, R 2 and root mean square error (RMSE) are equal to 0.86 and 10.01, respectively, whereas for the MVRM and dimensional analysis, R 2 and RMSE are equal to (0.84 and 12.20) and (0.76 and 13.75), respectively. These achievements confirm the better performance of the RES-based model over the other proposed models.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aghajani-Bazzazi A, Osanloo M, Azimi Y (2010) Flyrock prediction by multiple regression analysis in Esfordi phosphate mine of Iran. In: Proceedings of the 9th international symposium on rock fragmentation by blasting (FRAGBLAST 9), Granada, Spain, September 2009, pp 649–657
Amini H, Gholami R, Monjezi M, Torabi SR, Zadhesh J (2012) Evaluation of flyrock phenomenon due to blasting operation by support vector machine. Neural Comput Appl 21(8):2077–2085
Bajpayee TS, Rehak TR, Mowrey GL, Ingram DK (2000) A summary of fatal accidents due to flyrock and lack of blast area security in surface mining, 1989–1999. In: Proceedings of the 27th annual conference on explosives and blasting technique, Orlando, Florida, January 2001
Bajpayee TS, Bhatt SK, Rehak TR, Mowrey GL, Ingram DK (2003) Fatal accidents due to flyrock and lack of blast area security and working practices in mining. J Min Met Fuel 51(11–12):344–350
Bajpayee TS, Rehak TR, Mowrey GL, Ingram DK (2004) Blasting injuries in surface mining with emphasis on flyrock and blast area security. J Saf Res 35(1):47–57
Benardos AG, Kaliampakos DC (2004) A methodology for assessing geotechnical hazards for TBM tunnelling—illustrated by the Athens Metro, Greece. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 41:987–999
Bhandari S (1997) Engineering rock blasting operations. Balkema, Rotterdam
Cancelli A, Crosta G (1993) Hazard and risk assessment in rockfall prone areas. In: Skipp BO (ed) Risk and reliability in ground engineering. Thomas Telford, London, pp 177–190
Darlington RB (1990) Regression and linear models. McGraw-Hill, New York
Davies PA (1995) Risk-based approach to setting of flyrock ‘danger zones’ for blast sites. Trans Inst Min Metall Min Technol 104:A96–A100
Faramarzi F, Ebrahimi Farsangi MA, Mansouri H (2013a) An RES-based model for risk assessment and prediction of backbreak in bench blasting. Rock Mech Rock Eng 46:877–887
Faramarzi F, Mansouri H, Ebrahimi Farsangi MA (2013b) A rock engineering systems based model to predict rock fragmentation by blasting. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 60:82–94
Fletcher LR, D’Andrea DV (1986) Control of flyrock in blasting. In: Proceedings of 12th annual conference on explosives and blasting technique, Cleveland, Ohio, February 1986, pp 167–175
Ghasemi E, Sari M, Ataei M (2012) Development of an empirical model for predicting the effects of controllable blasting parameters on flyrock distance in surface mines. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 52:163–170
Holmberg R, Persson G (1976) The effect of stemming on the distance of throw of flyrock in connection with hole diameters. Swedish Detonic Research Foundation, Stockholm, Report DS 1
Hudson JA (1992) Rock engineering systems: theory and practice. Ellis Horwood, Chichester
Huntley HE (1967) Dimensional analysis. Dover Publications, New York
Hustrulid W (1999) Blasting principles for open pit mining: vol 1, general design concepts. Balkema, Rotterdam
Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME) (1997) Glossary of commercial explosives industry terms. Safety Library Publication No. 12, IME, Washington, DC, p 16
Jimeno CL, Jimeno EL, Carcedo FJA (1995) Drilling and blasting of rocks. Balkema, Rotterdam
Kecojevic V, Radomsky M (2005) Flyrock phenomena and area security in blasting-related accidents. Saf Sci 43(9):739–750
Konya CJ, Walter EJ (1991) Rock blasting and overbreak control. US Department of Transportation
Ladegaard-Pedersen A, Holmberg R (1973) The dependence of charge geometry on flyrock caused by crater effects in bench blasting. Report DS1973, Swedish Detonic Research Foundation, Stockholm, pp 1–38
Ladegaard-Pedersen A, Persson PA (1973) Flyrock in blasting II, experimental investigation. Report DS 13, Swedish Detonic Research Foundation, Stockholm
Langefors U, Kihlström B (1978) The modern technique of rock blasting. Wiley, New York
Latham J-P, Lu P (1999) Development of an assessment system for the blastability of rock masses. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 36:41–55
Little TN (2007) Flyrock risk. In: EXPLO Conference, Wollongong, NSW, Australia, September 2007
Little TN, Blair DP (2009) Mechanistic Monte Carlo models for analysis of flyrock risk. In: Proceedings of the 9th international symposium on rock fragmentation by blasting (FRAGBLAST 9), Granada, Spain, September 2009, pp 641–647
Lu P, Hudson JA (1993) A fuzzy evaluation approach to the stability of underground excavations. In: Ribeiro L, Sousa E, Grossmann NF (eds) Proceedings of the ISRM symposium: EUROCK’93, Lisboa, Portugal, June 1993. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 615–622
Lu P, Latham J-P (1994) A continuous quantitative coding approach to the interaction matrix in rock engineering systems based on grey systems approaches. In: Proceedings of the 7th international IAEG congress, Lisbon, Portugal, September 1994. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 4761–4770
Lundborg N (1974) The hazards of flyrock in rock blasting. Report DS 12, Swedish Detonic Research Foundation, Stockholm
Lundborg N (1981a) Risk for flyrock when blasting. BFR Report R 29, Swedish Council for Building Research, Stockholm
Lundborg N (1981b) The probability of flyrock. SveDeFo Report, DS
Mazzoccola DF, Hudson JA (1996) A comprehensive method of rock mass characterization for indicating natural slope instability. Q J Eng Geol Hydroge 29:37–56
Monjezi M, Dehghan H, Samimi Namin F (2007) Application of TOPSIS method in controlling fly rock in blasting operations. In: Proceedings of the 7th international science conference (SGEM 2007), Sofia, Bulgaria, June 2007, pp 41–49
Monjezi M, Bahrami A, Yazdian Varjani A (2010) Simultaneous prediction of fragmentation and flyrock in blasting operation using artificial neural networks. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 47:476–480
Monjezi M, Bahrami A, Yazdian Varjani A (2011) Prediction and controlling of flyrock in blasting operation using artificial neural network. Arab J Geosci 4:421–425
Monjezi M, Mehrdanesh A, Malek A, Khandelwal M (2012a) Evaluation of effect of blast design parameters on flyrock using artificial neural networks. Neural Comput Appl 23(2):349–356. doi:10.1007/s00521-012-0917-2
Monjezi M, Amini Khoshalan H, Yazdian Varjani A (2012b) Prediction of flyrock and backbreak in open pit blasting operation: a neuro-genetic approach. Arab J Geosci 5:441–448
Montgomery DC, Peck EA (1992) Introduction to linear regression analysis. Wiley, New York
Persson P-A, Holmberg R, Lee J (1994) Rock blasting and explosives engineering. CRC Press, Boca Raton
Raina AK, Chakraborty AK, Choudhury PB, Sinha A (2011) Flyrock danger zone demarcation in opencast mines: a risk based approach. Bull Eng Geo Environ 70(1):163–172
Rehak TR, Bajpayee TS, Mowrey GL, Ingram DK (2001) Flyrock issues in blasting. In: Proceedings of the 27th annual conference on explosives and blasting technique, Orlando, Florida, January 2001. ISEE, vol 1, pp 165–175
Rezaei M, Monjezi M, Yazdian Varjani A (2011) Development of a fuzzy model to predict flyrock in surface mining. Saf Sci 49:298–305
Richards AB, Moore AJ (2004) Flyrock control by chance or design. In: Proceedings of the 30th ISEE conference on explosives and blasting technique, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 2004
Roth JA (1979) A model for the determination of flyrock range as a function of shot conditions. US Department of Commerce, NTIS, Report No. PB81222358, p 61
Sanchidrian JA, Segarra P, Lopez LM (2007) Energy components in rock blasting. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 44:130–147
Shea CW, Clark D (1998) Avoiding tragedy: lessons to be learned from a flyrock fatality. Coal Age 103(2):51–54
Shin H-S, Kwon Y-C, Jung Y-S, Bae G-J, Kim Y-G (2009) Methodology for quantitative hazard assessment for tunnel collapses based on case histories in Korea. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 46:1072–1087
Siskind DE, Kopp JW (1995) Blasting accidents in mines: a 16-year summary. In: Proceedings of the 21st annual conference on explosives and blasting technique, Cleveland, Ohio, pp 224–239
SRK Consulting Engineers and Scientists (2008) Sungun copper project, mining geotechnics and slope design studies. Final report, Sungun Copper Company
Verakis HC, Lobb TE (2001) Blasting accidents in surface mines, a two decade summary. In: Proceedings of the 27th annual conference on explosives and blasting technique, Orlando, Florida, January 2001. ISEE, vol 1, pp 145–152
Vignaux GA (1986) Dimensional analysis in operations research. N Z Oper Res 14(1):81–92
Workman JL, Calder PN (1994) Flyrock prediction and control in surface mine blasting. In: Proceedings the 20th conference of the ISEE, Austin, Texas, February 1994, pp 59–74
Acknowledgments
The Sungun copper mine management is acknowledged for their appreciable cooperation in performing measurements at the mine site.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Faramarzi, F., Mansouri, H. & Farsangi, M.A.E. Development of Rock Engineering Systems-Based Models for Flyrock Risk Analysis and Prediction of Flyrock Distance in Surface Blasting. Rock Mech Rock Eng 47, 1291–1306 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-013-0460-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-013-0460-1