Effects of Blasting on the

Engineering Properties of
Aggregates
Stan Vitton
Associate Professor
Civil & Environmental Engineering
Michigan Technological University
Effects of Blasting on the
Engineering Properties of
Aggregates
Introduction
High Strain Rate Effects
Crushing & Grinding
Dynamic Fracture
Conclusions
Jakes Law
Anything hit with a big
enough hammer will fall
apart
Project Plowshare 1950s
Peaceful use of nuclear weapons
Related Dynamic Aggregate
Research
Petroleum Coke Crushing
Aggregate Interlock PCC Pavements
Vibration Effects of Green Concrete
Aggregate Interlock Test Setup
0.50 inch
3 kip
3 kip
Normal
Force
Reaction
Test Frame
Concrete Fracture Device
Aggregate Interlock System
Vertical Actuator
(Shear loading)
Horizontal Actuator
(Normal resistance)
a
a
projected
face
Load-bearing holder
Aggregate Interlock System
Aggregate Interlock System
Blasting Effects on Green
Concrete
Little is known about the effects of blast vibrations
on green concrete (less than 24 hours old)

Specification limitations:
Engineers want a project done correctly
Contractors want to make money and be safe
Owners want a project done quickly, correctly, and
inexpensively
Politicians want to ensure public safety and protect
public interests, while cutting budgets and personnel
Reasons
Fast track scheduling

Construction areas are
becoming more dense

Quarries are subjected to
urban encroachment

Society is becoming more
litigious
Previous Studies
Hulshizer No critical limit
found, but set max to 2-4 in/s
depending on age

Hong Kong - Damage happens
at large intensities by impact
(100+ in/s)

Oriard Doesnt see damage
but sets limit to 4 to 6 in/s, on
age and distance

Howes 5 in/s had no
detrimental affect
Time of Concrete Mixing
Used thermocouples
Placed in concrete
cylinders

Compare to ambient
temperature

Maturity occurs when
internal temperature
returns to ambient
Concrete Maturity Curve
Maturity Test
60
70
80
90
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Time (Hrs)
T
e
m
p

(
F
)
Cylinder #2 Cylinder #1 Cylinder #3 Cylinder #4 Ambient
Open
Door
Project Site: Turunen Quarry
Located Near Pelkie, MI
Active Limestone/Dolomite Quarry

Work Area
Blast Components
Blasting
Caps
Explosives
Hole Loading
Seismometers
Site Characterization
Load Hole
Place
Seismometers
Detonate
Shot
Cleanup
Sample Preparation - Field
Batch
Components


Mix
Components
5-2-4 Minutes
Consolidate
Concrete at
10,500 rpm
(175 Hz)
Place
Containers at
Appropriate
Site
Conclusions
There is generally no difference in the means
of the data
More evidence supports a gain of strength at
2 hours than a loss at any other age
Weak bonds may be broken and concrete
experiences self-healing
Vibrations up to 10.6 in/s MPRV have little or
no detrimental affect on this mix of green
concrete

Effects of Blasting on the
Engineering Properties of
Aggregates
Introduction
High Strain Rate Effects
Crushing & Grinding
Dynamic Fracture
Conclusions
Strain Rate Sensitivity?
Aluminum
Steel
Geologic Materials
Ceramics
Dynamic Effects??
Strain Rate??
o
L
Strain
L
A
=
Strain
StrainRate
Time
c = =
AL
L
o
Dynamic Strength
Strain Rate
S
t
r
e
n
g
t
h

10
-6
/second
ASTM Concrete
Testing
10
2
/second
Blasting
10
0
/sec
Fragmentation
Strain Rate
F
r
a
g
m
e
n
t
a
t
i
o
n

10
-6
/second
ASTM Concrete
Testing
10
2
/second
Blasting
10
0
/sec
Why?
Slow
Fast
Why?
Slow
Fast
Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar
Equipment Setup
Striker
Bar
Incident Bar
Transmission Bar
Specimen
Nicolet Digital Oscilloscope
Wheatstone
Bridge
Three-inch Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar
Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar

Transmission Bar Incident Bar Striker
Concrete Specimen
Strain Gages
Dynamic Compression Testing
SHPB was used
35psi chamber pressure
fired striker bar
Pennies were used to
transform square wave to
triangular wave
Specimens completely
crushed
Data collected using
oscilloscope
60 Specimens tested

Effects of Blasting on the
Engineering Properties of
Aggregates
Introduction
High Strain Rate Effects
Crushing & Grinding
Dynamic Fracture
Conclusions
Various Crushing & Grinding
Units
Cone, Jaw, Hammer Crushers
Vertical Shaft Impact (VSI)
Crusher
Crushing & Grinding - Aggregate
Crushing
Hammer
Cone
Jaw
VSI

Grinding
LA Abrasion
Micro-Deval
Aggregate Interlock
(PCC)
Handling & Storage
Resilient Modulus
Friction-Polishing
Effects of Blasting on Rock
Recent International Society of Explosive
Engineers (2001-2004):
The Effects of Blasting on Crushing and Grinding
Efficiency and Energy Consumption
Effects of Blasting on the Strength of Rock Fragmentation
Small Scale Study of Damage Due to Blasting and
Implication on Crushing and Grinding
Effects of Blasting on the Strength of Rock Fragments
Degree of Fragmentation Under High Strain Rates
Blasting Induced Rock Fragmentation Prediction Using
the RHT Constitutive Model for Brittle Materials
Damage to Rocks and Cementitous Materials from Solid
Impact Erosion (wear) of rock and concrete


Abrasion
(Wear)
Crushing
D
i
f
f
e
r
e
n
t
i
a
l

B
r
e
a
k
a
g
e

R
a
t
e

Size
Large (<1m)
Small (20 m)
Autogenous
Grinding Mill
Abrasion
(Wear)
Crushing
D
i
f
f
e
r
e
n
t
i
a
l

B
r
e
a
k
a
g
e

R
a
t
e

Size
Large
Small (20 m)
Autogenous
Grinding Mill
Size Range
for
Aggregates
General Conclusions:
Increased evidence indicates that blasting
has a significant impact on crushing and
grinding
Blasting affects both the physical and rock
mechanics properties
An important component of optimum
fragmentation appears to be micro-fracturing
within individual fragments
Effects of Blasting on the
Engineering Properties of
Aggregates
Introduction
High Strain Rate Effects
Crushing & Grinding
Dynamic Fracture
Conclusions
Aggregate Location

Ontario Traprock
Quarry
Algoma Steel Co.
Moyle Quarry
Port Inland
Quarry Cedarville
Quarry
Presque Isle Stone
Bay County Road
Commission Quarry
EDW. C. Levy Company
Rockwood Stone Quarry
France Stone Co.
Denniston Farms Quarry
Michigan
USA
Ontario
Canada
Lake Superior
Aggregate Type and Specific Gravity

#

Source
(MDOT ID)


Material Type

Orientation to
Bedding


G
ab



G
B



G
B,SSD


Porosity
(%)

1.


Algoma Steel

Air-Cooled Blast

Furnace Slag

Porous Region

Dense Region

2.973

2.888

2.09

2.40

2.41

2.57

30

17

2

Algoma Steel

Water Quenched Blast
Furnace Slag


Random


2.942


2.43


2.61


17

3

Levy Co.

Water Quenched Blast
Furnace Slag


Random


2.985


2.42


2.61


19

4

Presque Isle Stone


Limestone


Random


2.687


2.51


2.58


6

5

Bay County


Limestone


Perpendicular


2.697


2.63


2.68


2

6

Port Inland


Limestone


Random


2.69


2.68


2.68


<1

7

Cedarville


Dolomite


Random


2.770


2.71


2.75


2

8

Denniston


Dolomite


Perpendicular


2.828


2.48


2.65


12

9

Rockwood


Dolomite


Parallel


2.836


2.49


2.63


12








Perpendicular


2.834


2.60


2.70


8

10

France Stone


Dolomite


Perpendicular


2.818


2.78


2.82


1

11

Moyle


Flood Basalt


Random


2.938


2.89


2.91


1.6

12

Ontario Traprock


Diabase


Random


2.931


2.91


2.92


<1

Air-Cooled Slag
Water-quenched Slag
Presque Isle Limestone
Bay County Limestone
Port Inland Limestone
Cedarville Dolomite
Dennison Farms Dolomite
France Stone Dolomite
Basalt - Rapid Geologic Cooling
(Flood Basalt)
Diabase - Slower Geologic Cooling
(Traprock)
Dynamic & Static Compression
Strength Results

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Sample Type
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
F
a
i
l
u
r
e

S
t
r
e
n
g
t
h

(
M
P
a
)
Dry Rock
1.5
2.5
3.5
A
g
g
r
e
g
a
t
e

B
u
l
k

D
e
n
s
i
t
y

B
(
g
/
c
m
3
)
Dynamic -
Static
Bulk Density
A
B
C
D
E
A' -- Super High Strength
A -- Very High Strength
B -- High Strength
C -- Medium Strength
D -- Low Strength
E -- Very Low Strength
A
'
Slag Limestone Dolomite
Igneous
next geometri c progressi on
Slag
Limestone
Dolomite
Igneous
Dynamic to Static Strength Ratio, D/S

d
s
Dynamic Strength D
Static Strength S
o
= =
o
d s f
d
s
d
d(log )
log
o o o
= =
c | |
c
|
c
\ .
Strain Rate Sensitivity Factor,
Dynamic to Static Strength Ratios

Material
Dynamic/Static
(Dry)
Dynamic/Static
(Saturated)
Slag
1.93 2.68
Limestone
2.30 2.23
Dolomite
1.64 1.83
Igneous
1.78 2.55
Strain Rate Sensitivity Values
ID
Number

Strain Rate Sensitivity,
Aggregate





Average

1.0

Algoma air cooled blast furnace slag porous section

3.00



4.2

1.2

Algoma air-cooled blast furnace slag dense section

9.81

2

Algoma water-quenched blast furnace slag

2.93

3

Levy water-quenched blast furnace slag

1.27

4

Limestone, Presque Isle

9.97



5

Limestone, Bay County

13.59

16.4

6

Limestone, Port Inland

25.52



7

Dolomite, Cedarville

10.27



8.6

8

Dolomite, Denniston

8.77

9

Dolomite, Rockwood

4.52

10

Dolomite, France Stone

10.81

11

Basalt, Portage Lake Lava Series, Moyle

26.90


29.1

12

Diabase, Ontario Traprock

31.30

Aggregate Dynamic & Static
Strength Conclusions



D/S: Ranged from 1.3 to 2.7
Slag and igneous had similar D/S and were affected by saturation
Carbonates: limestone had a significantly higher D/S than dolomite
while neither were affected by saturation
Strain Rate Sensitivity Parameter, :
Igneous: = 29.1
Limestone: = 16.4
Dolomite: = 8.6
Slag: = 4.2
Variations in appear to be due to the aggregate's microstructure,
e.g.,
Limestone primary precipitate
Dolomite secondary replacement




Effects of Blasting on the
Engineering Properties of
Aggregates
Introduction
High Strain Rate Effects
Crushing & Grinding
Dynamic Fracture
Conclusions/Thoughts
Conclusions/Thoughts
Aggregate materials are rate sensitive
The D/S ratio appears to indicates the type
of crystalline structure
The rate sensitivity parameter appears to
correlate with microstructure
Dynamic fracture testing may provide a
means to test micro-structure to better
understand friction and other properties