Numerical Evaluation of Vibration Induced by Explosive Blasting in the Bauxite Mines of Sangarédi, Guinea

During rocks blasting by explosives in mines and quarries, Vibration phenomena appear in the surrounding environment, often causing significant damage to neighboring structures such as: buildings, bridges, tunnels and dams. This is why mining companies using the technique of the explosion are often faced with constraints of limiting the vibration level in order to minimize or eliminate potential damage to neighboring structures or reduce neighbor complaints.

This paper presents a new numerical prediction model for vibration level induced by explosive blasting in the Bauxite mines of Sangarédi, Guinea. The dynamic damage law is associated with vibration phenomena analyses to determine numerical value of the particle velocities of different points located at different distances from the explosion hole for the explosion of a single charge hole, in order to compare to the vibration level required by the specifications of the Guinea mining company, which authorizes a vibration level of 10 mm/s in an inhabited area. The prediction of the vibration level gives particle velocities of 11m/s at a distance of 10 m from the explosion hole. Based on the results of the model, one could estimate that this required vibration level would be reached at a distance of 80 m from the blast hole.