EXP/MIN ENG 5612: Principles of Explosives Engineering

This course is the core course of the Explosives Engineering program and provides the foundation for many following courses. It covers the basics of rock blasting which accounts for 97% plus of the civilian use of high explosives.

Instructor: Dr. Paul Worsey

Catalog Description: (LEC 2.0 and LAB 1.0) Theory and application of explosives in the mining industry; explosives, initiating systems, characteristics of explosive reactions and rock breakage, fundamentals of blast design, drilling and blasting, regulatory and safety considerations. Prerequisite: Mining 2126 (Mine Safety). Accompanied or preceded by either Civ Eng 3715 or Geology 3310 or Geology 2611; Successful background check..

Syllabus 2014

The course outline for Explosives 5612 has been separated into 10 sections. An outline for the lecture series is shown below to act as a guide to future lectures given as part of this course.

1 Introduction 1.1 Introduction

2 Explosives 2.0 Explosive Introduction 2.1 Explosive Properties 2.2 Explosive Types 2.3 Explosive Selection Criterion

3 Initiation Systems 3.0 Initiation System Introduction 3.1 Electric Systems 3.2 Non Electric Systems 3.3 Electronic Systems

4 Drilling & Blasting for Bench Blasting 4.0 Bench Blasting Introduction 4.1 Design of Blasthole & Blast Pattern Design 4.2 Powder Factor 4.3 Geologic & Topographic Considerations 4.4 Delay Design 4.5 Loading Blast Holes 4.6 Common Blasting Performance Problems

5 Safety 5.0 Intro 5.1 MSHA Regulations 5.2 Unpredictable Hazards 5.3 Flyrock 5.4 Firing the Shot 5.5 Highwall Safety

6 Federal & State Laws & Regulations Concerning Blasting 6.0 Regulations Introduction 6.1 OSM Regulations 6.2 ATF – Storage 6.3 DoT – Transportation 6.4 EPA - DNR 6.5 Missouri Department of Transportation Blasting Regulations 6.6 Missouri Blasting Safety Act 7 Environmental 7.0 Introductions 7.1 Ground Vibrations & Air Blast 7.2 Design for Minimizing Effects 7.3 Seismographs 7.4 Pre-Blast Surveys & Litigation

8 Specialist Surface Blasting 8.0 Introductions 8.1 Trenching 8.2 Secondary Blasting 8.3 Pre-Splitting

9 Underground Blast Design 9.0 Introduction 9.1 Underground Heading Rounds

10 Putting everything together for a blast in close proximity to uncontrolled structures 10.0 Introduction 10.1 Strategy for design