Abstract
Ground vibration (V max ) and air-overpressure/noise (p) are some of the negative effects of blasting. The associated human annoyance and complaints are expected to show an increasing trend in the future as there is no economically viable alternative to blasting in mines in India.
A study of the human response to blasting in four mining localities across India has shown that the response is not simply political, as frequently assumed. It has been found that irrespective of those questioned, a basic concern for the safety of property was the main response. There was a greater response from the middle-aged and middle-educated while fewer women than men responded. Assuming that a 100% negative response from the inhabitants will translate into complaints, a methodology is suggested to take account of the human response criteria when considering blasting within 400 m of habitations.
Résumé
Les vibrations sismiques (V max ) et les ondes aériennes de surpression (p) font partie des effets négatifs de l’abattage à l’explosif. A l’avenir on doit s’attendre à l’expression d’un mécontentement croissant des populations dans la mesure où il n’existe guère de méthodes alternatives à l’abattage à l’explosif dans les mines indiennes.
Une étude des réactions humaines aux opérations d’abattage à l’explosif, dans quatre localités minières de l’Inde, a montré que ces réactions ne sont pas simplement politiques comme cela est souvent affirmé. Il a été montré que quelque soient les personnes interrogées, des préoccupations essentielles concernaient la sécurité des biens. Les plus fortes réactions provenaient des classes d’âge intermédiaires et des populations de niveau d’éducation moyen. Considérant que ces réactions négatives se traduiraient par des plaintes des habitants, une méthodologie a été proposée, prenant en compte ces réactions négatives dans un rayon de 400 m autour de la zone de travaux d’abattage à l’explosif.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blackteman O, Kohler J, Sjoberg L (1983) Infra-sound tutorial and review. J Low Freq Noise Vib 12(3):1–31
Bollinger GA (1980) Blast vibration analysis. Southern Illinois Univ Press, pp 97–102
Dowding CH (1985) Blast vibration monitoring and control. Prentice-Hall, Englewood, USA, pp 104–109
Dowding CH, Murray PH, Atmatzidis DK (1981) Dynamic response properties of residential structures subjected to blasting vibrations. J Struct Eng, ASCE, 107:1233–1249
George A, Luz RR, Schomer PD (1983) An analysis of community complaints to noise. J Acoust Soc Am 73(4):1229–1235
Griffin MJ (1990) Handbook of human vibration. Academic Press, San Diego
Heggie R (1988) Advanced blasting technology reports, 1978 guide for evaluation of exposure to whole body vibrations. International Standards Organisation 2631 Addendum 1, p 15
Hendron AJ, Oriard LL (1972) Specifications for controlled blasting in civil engineering projects. Proc RETC 2, pp 1585–1609
ISEE CD-ROM (1998) Explosives reference database on CD-ROM, Int Soc Explosive Eng, Ohio, USA.
Kringel JR (1960) Control of air blast effect resulting from blasting operations. Min Cong J 51–56
Pal Roy P (1999) Socio economic and environmental impacts of blasting in sensitive regions and remedial measures. IMEJ, January:19–22
Postlethwaite F (1944) Human susceptibility to vibrations. Eng J 157:61–63
Raina AK, Chakraborty AK, Haldar A, Ramulu M, Choudhury, PB, Pal Roy P, Jethwa JL (2002) Awareness of blast induced ground vibration and air overpressure in opencast mines in India, to mitigate human annoyance and complaints. MEJ 3(12):14–21
Raina AK, Chakraborty AK, Pal Roy P, Halder A, M Ramulu, Choudhury PB, Bandopadhyay C (2003) Evaluation of human response to vibration and air-overpressure due to blasting in opencast non-coal mines in India. CMRI India report on project GAP/006/01–02
Rathbone TC (1963) Human sensitivity to product vibration. Prod Eng August::73–77
Schomer PD, Averbuch A (1989) Indoor human response to blast sounds that generate noise. J Acoust Soc Am 86(2):665–671
Schomer PD, Sias JW (1998) On spectral weightings to assess human response, indoors, to blast noise and sonic booms. Noise Cont Eng J 46(2):57–71
Schomer PD, Wagner LR, Benson J, Buchta E, Hirsch K-W, Kraahe’ D (1994) Human and community response to military sounds: Results from field–laboraory tests of small arms, tracked–vehicle, and blast sounds. Noise Cont Eng J 42(2):71–84
Schomer PD, Sias JW, Maglieri D (1997) A comparative study of human response, indoors, to blast noise and sonic booms. Noise Cont Eng J 45(4):169–182
Sharma JK (2000) Operations research, theory and applications. McMillan, New Delhi, pp 424–447
Siskind DE, Stachura VJ, Raddiffe KS (1976) Noise and vibrations in residential structure from quarry production blasting. USBM RI 8168
Siskind DE, Stagg MS, Kopp JW, Dowding CH (1980) Structure response and damage produced by ground vibration from surface mine blasting. USBM RI 8507, p 49
St. George JD (1998) Ground vibrations from blasting: the human response. Aus IMM New Zealand Branch Ann Conf, Christchurch, pp 113–120
Walter EJ, Walter EJ Jr (1979) Low level continuous vibration and potential damage. Gen Proc Ann Conf Explosives and Blasting Res ISEE CD-ROM database
Wilton TJ (1984) Air overpressure from blasting. Quarry Man 657–662
Wiss JA, Paramelee RA (1974) Human perception of transient vibrations. J Struct. Div, ASCE, 100(ST4):773–787
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to the Ministry of Environment and Forests for funding the study. Thanks are due to Prof. B. B. Dhar (Ex-Director, Central Mining Research Institute, India) and Prof. Gurdeep Singh (Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad), to the managements of Manganese Ore India Limited, Gujrat Ambuja Cements Limited and Ambuja Cements Eastern Limited for their help and cooperation. Permission to publish the results by Director Central Mining Research Institute is acknowledged.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Raina, A.K., Haldar, A., Chakraborty, A.K. et al. Human response to blast-induced vibration and air-overpressure: an Indian scenario. Bull Eng Geol Environ 63, 209–214 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-004-0228-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-004-0228-7