ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep regards to my guide (GUIDE
NAME) for the navigator vision and successful carrying me towards the brightest journey
throughout the completion of the dissertation work. The blessing, encouragement, help and
guidance given time to time shall carry me a long way in the journey of life on which I am about
to embark.

I also take this opportunity to express a deep sense of gratitude to Mr. Narashima Reddy, Head
of the Department.

I am obliged to staff members of the department, for the valuable information provided by them
in their respective fields. I am grateful for their cooperation during the period of my assignment.

Lastly, I thank almighty, my parents, brother and friends for their constant encouragement
without which this assignment would not be possible.

Name 1 - Roll no Signature

Name 2 - Roll no Signature

Name 3 - Roll no Signature

Name 4 - Roll no Signature

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE NUMBER

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT i

CONTENTS ii-v

ABSTRACT vi

LIST OF FIGURES vii

LIST OF TABLES viii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1-3

1.1 General 2

1.2 Objectives of Project 3

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 4-28

2.1 Blast Fragmentation 5

2.2 Blast Fragmentation Models 5

2.2.1 The Kuz – Ram Model 6

2.2.2 The JKMRC Model 8

2.2.3 Crushed Zone Model (CZM) 9

2.2.4 The Two Component Model (TCM) 12

2.2.5 The KCO Model 14

2.3 Discussion 15

2.4 Blast Geometry 16

2.5 Fragmentation Measurement Techniques 18

2.5.1 Sieving or Screening 19

2.5.2 Oversize Boulder Count Method 19

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 2.5.3 Explosive consumption in Secondary Blasting
Method 19

2.5.4 Shovel Loading Rate Method 20

2.5.5 Bridging Delays at the Crusher Method 20

2.5.6 Visual Analysis Method 20

2.5.7 Photographic or Manual Analysis Method 20

2.5.8 Conventional and High Speed Photogrammetric

Method 21

2.5.9 High Speed Photography or Image Analysis

Method 21

2.5.9.1. IPACS 22

2.5.9.2. TUCIPS 22

2.5.9.3. FRAGSCAN 22

2.5.9.4. SPLIT 22

2.5.9.5. FRAGALYST 23

2.5.9.6. WIPFRAG 23

2.6 Image Analysis 24

2.7 Powder Factor 25

2.7.1. Evaluation on Powder Factor 27

2.7.2. Overview of researches on Powder Factor 27

2.7.3. Comments on Powder Factor 28

CHAPTER 3: FIELD STUDY, LABORATORY WORK AND

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 29-39

3.1 General 30

3.2 Field Observation 30

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 3.2.1 Field Observation at Wonder Cement Ltd (Mine 1) 30

3.2.2 Field Observation at Coal Mine (Mine 2) 31

3.2.3 Field Observation at Limestone Mine (Mine 3) 33

3.2.4 Muck Pile Sampling and Photography 34

3.2.4.1. Precautions 34

3.3 Laboratory work 35

3.4 Research Methodology 35

3.4.1 Fragmentation Assessment 36

3.4.1. Transferring the digital image 36

3.4.2. Opening an Image in Fragalyst Window 36

3.4.3. Calibration 36

3.4.4. Edge Detection Settings 37

3.4.5. Networking 37

3.4.6. Analysis 38

3.4.2. Powder Factor Assessment 38

3.4.3. Blast Size Assessment 38

3.4.4. Flow Chart 39

CHAPTER 4: RESULT AND DISCUSSION 40-44

4.1 General 41

4.2 Relationship Between MFS and Powder Factor (PF) 42

4.3 Relationship Between MFS and Quantity of Explosive(QE) 43

4.4 Relationship Between MFS and Number of Rows (NR) 44

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 45-46

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CHAPTER 6: REFERENCES 47-49

CHAPTER 7: APPENDIX 50-58

7.1 The Blast images and there Fragment Distribution Curve of

Mine 1 51

7.2 The Blast images and there Fragment Distribution Curve of

Mine 2 53

7.3 The Blast images and there Fragment Distribution Curve of

Mine 3 55

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 ABSTRACT

In mining industry in general and open pit mining in particular, blasting is an important which
influences directly loading, haulage and milling phase. Nowadays, there are many achievements
in research of blasting theory and blasting material in mining industry, especially of blasting
parameters for improving rock fragmentation efficiency.

Powder factor is very important in blasting. Explosive cost used to break a volume unit of rock
according to requirement and blasting mission is called as powder factor. Powder factor is a
blasting parameter which depends on physical and mechanical characteristic of blasting, size
requirement of rock fragmentation, explosive type, blasting technology, other blasting
parameters and so on.

This project makes a field study on the Effect of Powder factor on fragmentation, as it is the
basic parameter of the blasting. In addition to that, a study was conducted for the blast size
assessment.

In this thesis, different blasting parameters are studied and the project is conducted by collecting
the basic data on blasting and photographs of the muck pile. The photographs are analyzed by
using the fragalyst software.

These parameters are then correlated and the optimal range of Powder Factor is evaluated with
respect to Mean Fragment Size (MFS).

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 LIST OF FIGURES

Sl. No. Figure Description Page no.

1. Fig. 2.1 Schematic illustration of process occurring in the rock 7
around a blast hole
2. Fig. 2.2 Bench Blasting Geometry and Terminology 14
3. Fig. 3.1 Firing pattern with delay sequence in Mine 1 28
4. Fig. 3.2 Charge pattern in Mine 1 28
5. Fig. 3.3 Firing pattern with delay sequence in Mine 2 29
6. Fig. 3.4 Charge pattern in Mine 2 29
7. Fig. 3.5 Firing pattern with delay sequence in Mine 3 30

8. Fig. 3.6 Charge pattern in Mine 3 31

9. Fig. 3.7 Calibration process in Fragalyst window 33

10. Fig. 3.8 Edge detection process 34

11. Fig. 3.9 Networking 35

12. Fig. 3.10 Fragment distribution curve 35
13. Fig. 3.11 Flow Chart 36
14. Fig. 4.1 MFS vs. PF for Mine 1 38
15. Fig. 4.2 MFS vs. PF for Mine 2 38
16. Fig. 4.3 MFS vs. PF for Mine 3 38
17. Fig. 4.4 MFS vs. QE for Mine 1 39
18. Fig. 4.5 MFS vs. QE for Mine 2 39
19. Fig. 4.6 MFS vs. QE for Mine 3 39
20. Fig. 4.7 MFS vs. NR for Mine 1 40
21. Fig. 4.8 MFS vs. NR for Mine 2 40

22. Fig. 4.9 MFS vs. NR for Mine 3 40

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 LIST OF TABLES

Sl. No. Table Description Page No.

1. Table 3.1 Details of base line observation in Mine 1 27
2. Table 3.2 Details of base line observation in Mine 2 29
3. Table 3.3 Details of base line observation in Mine 3 30
4. Table 4.1 Blast results of Mine 1 37
5. Table 4.2 Blast results of Mine 2 37
6. Table 4.3 Blast results of Mine 3 37

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