Blasting Vibration Analysis
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REVEY Associates, Inc. 9250 E Morning Star Place Parker, CO 80134-5611 Phone: (303) 470-0416 Fax: (303) 791-0140 MARBLEMOUNT QUARRY SKAGIT COUNTY, WA ASSESSMENT OF ROCK BLASTING IMPACTS AND RECOMMENDED PRACTICES 19 JAN 2019 Prepared for: Kiewit Infrastructure West Company Vancouver, WA Prepared by: Gordon F. Revey, P. Eng. Principal, REVEY Associates, Inc. Parker, CO REVEY Associates, Inc. Marblemount Quarry Blasting Impacts Evaluation Report_____________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS NO. PAGE 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE ......................................................................................... 1 2.0 BLAST EFFECTS, DAMAGE CRITERIA AND HUMAN RESPONSE ..................................... 3 2.1 Vibration Ground Waves .................................................................................. 3 2.2 Vibration Perception and Damage Criteria ...................................................... 5 2.3 Blast Noise (Air‐Overpressure) ......................................................................... 7 2.4 Air‐Overpressure Measurement Scales ............................................................ 7 2.5 Blast Vibration Intensity Predictions ................................................................ 9 2.6 Human Response to Transient Vibration.......................................................... 11 2.7 Recommended PPV and Air‐Overpressure Limits ............................................ 11 3.0 IMPACTS OF BLASTING AT THE MARBLEMOUNT QUARRY .......................................... 12 3.1 Impacts on Water Resources ............................................................................ 15 3.2 Impacts on Air Quality ...................................................................................... 15 3.3 Impacts on Animals and the Environment ....................................................... 16 3.4 Impacts to Neighboring Homes and Community Buildings ............................. 17 3.5 Impacts to Buried Pipes or Utilities .................................................................. 17 4.0 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED BLASTING CONTROLS ................................................ 18 5.0 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................ 18 6.0 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 19 ATTACHMENT I – MARBLEMOUNT QUARRY PROJECT SITE MAP ATTACHMENT II – WASHINGTON ADMINISTRATIVE CODE (WAC 296‐52‐67065). ATTACHMENT III – ISEE INDUSTRY BLAST MONITORING STANDARDS ATTACHMENT IV – BLASTING TERMS DEFINITIONS AND ILLUSTRATIONS ATTACHMENT V – QUALIFICATIONS OF THE AUTHOR REVEY Associates, Inc. Page i 19 JAN 2019 Marblemount Quarry Blasting Impacts Evaluation Report_______________________________________________ 1.0 INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE Kiewit Infrastructure West Company (KIEWIT) is planning the development of rock quarry in Skagit County, Washington. The so‐called “Marblemount” Quarry would be located on a site adjacent to Rockport Cascade Drive situated about one mile east of Corkindale and about one mile south of Marblemount. The location of the proposed quarry is shown in Figure 1.1. Marblemount N W E S Skagit River Quarry Mining Limits Corkindale SCALE (ft) 1,000 3,000 0 2,000 4,000 Figure 1.1 – Marblemount Quarry Site Location Map KIEWIT plans to produce large jetty stone and other sized rock products from this site. A USGS Geologic survey map of Washington State indicates rock at this site is comprised of Mesozoic Era Metasedimentary Rocks (Mzms). Due to the hardness and cohesiveness of this rock, controlled blasting methods would be needed to cleave it into appropriately sized jetty stones. REVEY Associates, Inc. Page 1 of 19 19 JAN 2019 Marblemount Quarry Blasting Impacts Evaluation Report_______________________________________________ KIEWIT has retained Gordon F. Revey (author) of REVEY Associates, Inc. (RAI) to evaluate how future blasting at the site can be controlled to protect people, structures, utilities and environmental resources around the site. Where appropriate, specific mitigation measures to prevent or minimize blasting impacts are recommended. All calculations and predictions regarding blast‐induced effects made in this evaluation presume recommended blasting limitations will be applied as recommended. This blasting impacts evaluation includes a review of: 1) Types of explosives that will be used. 2) Drilling methods, bore hole diameter, depth of borehole, number of holes per shot, stemming, burden, weight/volume (density) of explosives, and initiation methods. 3) Analysis of blast‐induced ground vibrations and noise impacts on neighbors, structures, utilities and wildlife. 4) Analysis of drilling‐induced ground vibrations and noise impacts on all surrounding uses, including wildlife. 5) Analysis of potential adverse effects caused by blasting relative to the hydrologic characteristics of the rock body. 6) Recommendations for minimizing any potential drilling and blasting impacts, as appropriate. The evaluations and recommendations herein are based on: 1) site conditions, 2) review of documents associated with the proposed development plans and 3) the author’s prior experience with similar blasting operations. In order to acquaint the reader with the physical science of blast effects, including ground vibration and air‐overpressure (noise), short technical summaries about physical blast effects are included in the body of this report. In addition, the International Society of Explosive Engineers (ISEE) Blast Monitoring Standards (Attachment III), and a list of blasting terms, definitions and illustrations (Attachment IV) are included. An 11 x 17‐inch detailed map of the Proposed Marblemount Quarry Site showing all proposed is provided in Attachment I. For the purposes of this blasting impacts evaluation report, the closest people, structures, utilities and fauna that could be impacted by future controlled blasting operations are: 1) Residential homes located 800 feet and farther from the Quarry 2) Utilities located in the Rockport Cascade Road Right of Way (ROW) 3) Water wells and associated water supply pipes located on neighboring properties. 4) Wild and domestic animals located around the site. REVEY Associates, Inc. Page 2 of 19 19 JAN 2019 Marblemount Quarry Blasting Impacts Evaluation Report_______________________________________________ 2.0 BLAST EFFECTS, DAMAGE CRITERIA AND HUMAN RESPONSE Before analyzing potential impacts of controlled blasting operations, a general technical review of the physical effects of blasting, prediction methods, damage criteria, and human response are provided in subsections 2.1 through 2.6. Specific blast‐induced vibration and air‐overpressure limits for future blasting operations at Marblemount Quarry are recommended in Section 2.7. When explosive charges detonate in rock, they are designed so that most of the energy is used in breaking and displacing the rock mass. However, some of the energy can also be released in the form of transient stress waves, which in turn cause temporary ground vibration. Detonating charges also create rock movement and release of high‐pressure gas, which in turn induce air‐ overpressure (noise), airborne dust and audible blast noise. In the very‐near zone, crushing usually occurs in the rock around the charge for approximately one‐charge‐diameter. Beyond the plastic crushing zone, the rock or ground is temporarily deformed by elastic strain waves. For some distance, tangential strain intensity exceeds the rock’s strength and new fractures are created. Radial cracks are created in rock around detonating charges as a result of induced strain that exceeds the rock’s tensile strength. These cracks generally do not extend farther than 26 charge radii (Siskind, 1983). If the diameter of charges for blasting at Marblemount Quarry is limited to 5.0 inches, radial cracks might extend 65 inches (5/2 x 26) into adjacent rock. Surface rupturing of rock in shoulders of rock walls beyond blasts might also extend a similar distance. Since respective utilities and homes are 400 feet and 800 feet or more from the quarry blasting area, direct ground rupturing or cracks caused by blasting will not cause any damage. 2.1 Vibration Ground Waves Within and beyond the cracking zone, stress waves spread through the rock mass and along the ground surface. As shown in Figure 2.1, some waves pass through the “body” of the rock mass. Primary compression waves and shear waves are examples of body waves. Other surface vibration waves travel along the ground surface like the way waves travel along the surface of water. In an ideal isotropic and homogenous rock mass, wave energy would travel evenly in all directions. However, most rock masses are far from ideal, so wave energy is reflected, refracted and attenuated by various geological and topographical conditions. The elastic properties of rock greatly influence vibration magnitude and attenuation rate. When seismic waves pass through the ground, ground particles oscillate within three‐dimensional space. Soon after blasting has stopped, vibration energy dissipates, and ground particles become still. REVEY Associates, Inc. Page 3 of 19 19 JAN 2019 Marblemount Quarry Blasting Impacts Evaluation Report_______________________________________________ Abbreviations: SH = Shear wave, horizontal SV = Shear wave, vertical R = Rayleigh wave P = Compressional wave t ten ex ve P Wa SH SV Detonating