Abhay Sadhu,
Sandeep Prasad,
- , Student, Department of Mining Engineering, AKS University, Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India, ,
- , Assistant Professor, Department of Mining Engineering, AKS University, Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India, ,
Abstract
Drilling and blasting are critical operations in opencast coal mining that directly influence rock fragmentation, excavation efficiency, and production performance. However, excessive blast-induced ground vibration and air overpressure can create safety and environmental concerns, particularly in mines located near villages and sensitive structures. The present study was conducted at Chapapur-II Colliery, Mugma Area, Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), with the objective of optimizing blast design through the determination of safe maximum charge-per-delay values. A field investigation involving 20 production blasts was carried out using an Instantel Micromate seismograph to monitor peak particle velocity (PPV), vibration frequency, air overpressure, explosive charge, and monitoring distance. The monitored blasts were conducted with maximum charge per delay varying between 30 and 50 kg and total explosive charge per round ranging from 1450 to 4700 kg. Blast monitoring stations were located at distances between 100 and 180 m from the blast face. The recorded PPV values varied from 0.733 to 2.382 mm/s, which were significantly lower than the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) permissible limit of 10 mm/s for nearby residential structures. Analysis of the monitored data resulted in the development of a site-specific ground vibration predictor model with a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.76, indicating a good correlation between blast parameters and vibration response. Based on the developed model, safe maximum charge-per-delay values and optimized blast design parameters were recommended for different distances from nearby structures. The study demonstrates that site-specific blast monitoring and vibration-based blast design optimization can improve blasting efficiency while ensuring environmental compliance and operational safety in opencast coal mines.
Keywords: Blast design optimization, ground vibration, peak particle velocity, charge per delay, blast monitoring, air overpressure, opencast coal mine, environmental safety
[This article belongs to Journal of Geotechnical Engineering ]
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Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
| Volume | 13 | |
| Issue | 02 | |
| Received | 04/06/2026 | |
| Accepted | 10/06/2026 | |
| Published | 11/06/2026 | |
| Publication Time | 7 Days |