Rock Blasting & Excavation Engineering Areas of Activities
The Rock Blasting & Excavation Engineering Department (RB & EE) of NIRM has an experienced team of Scientists and is equipped with latest instruments. This department has seismographs, VOD measuring systems, laser based survey systems, fragmentation assessment system, vibration analysis system (Signature hole), state-of-the art software for blast design and digital video camera.
The department has been providing innovative solutions to challenging problems in blasting for various mining, hydroelectric and civil engineering projects. Apart from providing solutions to conventional blasting problems, NIRM has been providing customized solutions to Metro rail projects, nuclear power projects, controlled blasting problems, graded material requirements (rip rap / armor rock / aggregate), pre-splitting for high wall stability, underground caverns (power houses / crude & gas storages), TBM, integrating blasting and other excavation techniques etc. The department is carrying out preparation of blasting related pre-construction reports, method statement, proof checking etc.
In this area, NIRM has provided technical solutions in more than 176 projects (industry sponsored and S&T), published over 107 technical papers and extended its services to more than 100 organizations.
The Department has the expertise in :
- Blast design for surface and underground excavations and computerized analysis.
- Monitoring and mitigation of ground vibration, air overpressure and flyrock and computerised wave form signature hole analysis for delay sequencing.
- Rock mass damage control and near field vibration monitoring with high frequency triaxial transducers.
- Controlled blasting (urban blasting, trench blasting, blasting near structures/habitats, dams).
- Special blasting for armour rock, site grading, road and under water.
- Evaluation of explosives performance through in-the-hole continuous VOD monitoring.
- Assessment of fragmentation through image processing and computerized sieve analysis.
- Suggestions on alternative to blasting and mechanical excavation.
- Problem solving through innovative approaches to evolve site specific solutions.
