ASIEX Blasting Workshop:

Dam wall Alteration

What happened?

Claude Cunningham: Blasting Investigations

and Consultancy

Raising of Dam Wall

Need to blast down for founding extension
Concern for blast effect on
loosening of base of dam
Damage to concrete body

ASIEX October 2012

ASIEX October 2012

Making progress
Initial restriction on dam wall 10mm/s at 30m
Raised to 50mm/s at 8m

Strongly reinforced: girders, cables and grouted pipes

Split across top using Cord and base charge
Piers could only be accessed once
Had to be removed without risking failure
EDs critical to control and safety

Vibration levels peaked with water level cut

ASIEX October 2012

BAY 2 WATER LEVEL CUT

Sides along piers presplit with blast
0.0
1079.27

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

1.0

CONSTRUCTION LEVEL
2.0

WATER
3.0
8

4.0

FOUNDATION FOR EXTENSION

ASIEX October 2012

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I

799

715

631

547

463

379

295

211

127

782

698

614

530

446

362

278

194

110

765

681

597

513

429

345

261

177

93

748

664

580

496

412

328

244

160

76

731

647

563

479

395

311

227

143

59

714

630

546

462

378

294

210

126

42

672

588

504

420

336

252

168

84

689

605

521

437

353

269

185

101

17

706

622

538

454

370

286

202

118

34

DOWN STREAM

Col
Row

ED Timing for Bay 2 Cut to lower water level

3

Holes

Time ms

ASIEX October 2012

ASIEX October 2012

ASIEX October 2012

ASIEX October 2012

Findings
Faster timing not observed
EDs had detonated sympathetically at 200
and 600ms
Det construction used Al shell
Changed over to Cu shell
No problems for rest of project
Only cosmetic damage to dam wall
Which started me thinking
ASIEX October 2012

10

What are the real limits and issues

with vibration?

Dam wall remained strong

Explosives energy quickly dissipates

Imposed vibration limits too conservative

Raise costs and reduce productivity
Need to build evidence to change limits and
facilitate progress
ASIEX October 2012

11

Conclusion
Production drive in control of decisions
Initial blasting ideas abandoned
EDs expensive solution /m3, but
Flexibility needed
Testability critical
Known timing enabled problem to be solved

ASIEX October 2012

12

Claude Cunningham: Blasting Investigations and Consultancy