Explosives Engineering Commons^™

Development Of A Method To Measure Blast Overpressure Exposure Using Orthogonal Sensor Orientations, Nicholas Kuehl

Masters Theses

Measuring and recording blast exposure to military personnel from shoulder-fired weaponry or improvised explosive devices to correlate health outcomes like mild traumatic brain injury has been a goal for many years. As such, many wearable sensors have been developed and tested for accuracy and reliability. Despite this, knowing the sensor orientation in relation to the blast source is important to fully correlate the actual personnel exposure to clinical outcomes. This research investigates whether pressures recorded at three independent orientations in the x, y and z planes can be combined to a representative pressure that is independent of orientation. Important metrics …

Overpressure Waveform Comparison Of High Explosive, Methane, And Coal Dust Explosions, Frank James Schott

Masters Theses

Methane and coal dust explosions remain a leading cause of catastrophic mining accidents, making it critical to understand their overpressure characteristics for better hazard modeling, mitigation, and regulation. Although high explosives (HE), flammable gases, and dusts have been studied separately, direct waveform comparisons in identical environments are rare. This study addresses that gap by comparing overpressure waveforms from HE, methane-air mixtures, and coal dust explosions to assess differences in peak pressure, impulse, rise time, and phase duration. Twenty-seven tests were conducted using standardized instrumentation and sensor arrays. Results showed that HE generated the highest peak pressures with short positive phases …

An Experimental Study Into The Methods Of Water Coupling And Their Impact On Kinetic Energy And Blast Over Pressure Through The Use Of A Ballistic Pendulum, Jeremiah Alan Cohn

Masters Theses

Water coupled charges utilize the material properties of water to alter their behavior for reductions in overpressure and increases in kinetic energy. Although water coupling has been studied directly, combined usage of the two primary methods of water coupling, tamping and pushing, hinders further research. This study addresses the gap in literature by comparing ballistic pendulum and blast data for charges with water tamping and pushing to determine differences in kinetic energy, peak overpressure, impulse, noise and duration of fireball. The results showed that water tamping provided a 69.1% increase in kinetic energy, an 18.6% reduction in incident overpressure, a …

The Dynamic Material Response Of Csa Cement Using A Split Hopkinson Bar, Elliott L. Morgan

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

The University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) Cementitious Materials Group is developing a pourable Calcium Sulphoaluminate (CSA) cement-based concrete for rapid repair applications. Due to dynamic events like vehicle strikes, ballistic events, or other dynamic loading events, the dynamic material characteristics are important for understanding how the material will respond. A large diameter Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) was used to test samples of the pourable CSA cement and determine its dynamic material properties in the early strength development phase. 24 samples were tested in 7 day intervals for 28 days. Samples were prepared targeting a length …

Mid-Field Shock And Impulse Estimation Methods For Blast Loading On Tall Targets, Ethan Allan Steward

Doctoral Dissertations

Blast resistant structural design continues to be a major research area for governments around the world due to explosive threats from both state and non-state actors. Many of the typical targets of explosive attacks, such as government buildings, commercial high rise office buildings, and apartment complexes are mid to high-occupancy buildings that present a tall profile relative to the charge size and are often clad in curtain walls. In blast resistant structural design, the origin of a shock wave is typically assumed to be in the far-field, creating a wave that is nearly planar and parallel to at least one …

Viscoelastic Materials Evaluated For Blast-Resistant Designs, M. Sutter, C. Thomas, A. D. Douglas, F. Dogan, C. E. Johnson

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Viscoelastic materials have extensive military applications due to their energy absorption capabilities, with the potential to reduce blast energy imposed on buildings, vehicles, and personnel. Based on current literature, limited information is available regarding the mitigation of blast energy related to these uses. The impact of thickness, nanoparticle addition, and layering variation was assessed in this study using commercially available viscoelastic materials in open-air blasts of Composition C4 to determine shock energy mitigation capabilities. Time-pressure waveforms were recorded to identify optimal changes in shock wave characteristics: reduced peak pressure, positive phase duration, and impulse, with increased rise times. Results were …

Application Of Gurney And Flight Of Fragment Calculations For Water Jet Velocities In Explosive Applications, Rachel L. Bauer, Tate B. Friedrich, Catherine E. Johnson

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study investigates the application of Gurney and flight of fragment equations, typically used to predict metal fragment velocities, in modeling the water jet behavior. Three shotgun cartridge sizes were used as the energy source: 2.59 g, 5.83 g, and 7.13 g. Two configurations were tested: standard (full-barrel water load) and "negative 8" (partial water load). High-speed footage captured water column velocities, and Gurney models, including infinitely tamped and open-faced configurations, combined with the flight of fragment model were used to assess prediction accuracy. Results showed charge strength significantly affects water column velocity, with higher strengths yielding greater stability and …

Optimizing Hy Wet Ball Mill Efficiency Using Response Surface Methodology, Peng Chen, Ying Hou, Hongxu Lv, Ahmed Sobhy

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study uses response surface methodology (RSM) with a central composite design to optimize the HY wet ball mill work index. Key operational parameters—ore quantity, water addition, and media proportion—were systematically investigated. Variance analysis identified these factors as statistically significant (p < 0.0001), with ore quantity exhibiting the strongest influence (F value = 82.67). Optimal conditions (water addition: 1083.880 mL, media filling rate: 40.362%, ore quantity: 1827.130 g) achieved a minimum work index of 10.195 kW h t⁻¹. Validation tests confirmed the model's accuracy, yielding an average work index of 10.168 kW h t⁻¹ (deviation: 0.027 kW h t⁻¹). Compared to single-factor tests, RSM optimization reduced energy consumption by 3.76% (0.3975 kW h t⁻¹), translating to annual savings of $214,000 for a mid-sized processing plant. This demonstrates RSM's efficacy in …

Exploring The Link Between Hy Wet Ball Mill Work Index And Grinding Energy Consumption, Chen Peng, Hou Ying, Lv Hongxu, Sobhy Ahmed

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In evaluating ore grinding energy consumption using the Bond ball mill work index, discrepancies were identified. As a result, an investigation into the determination method of Hou Ying (HY) wet ball milling work index (WHY) for Gongchangling magnetite ore was conducted to determine the correlation between WHY and grinding energy consumption at varying particle sizes. The research results indicated that WHY had an error less than 3.33%, which is closely aligned with on-site grinding energy consumption. This surpassed the numerical error of 15.9% in the Bond ball grinding power index and demonstrated superior accuracy in representing ore grinding energy consumption, …

Shock Wave And Vortex Ring Dynamics From Explosively Driven Shock Tunnels, Rachel Louise Bauer

Doctoral Dissertations

"Blast and shock tubes are frequently used to create shock waves to study their effects and impacts on structures, humans, and personal protective equipment. These tubes are also found in other industries including wind tunnels for aerodynamic testing, jet engines for propulsion research, spacecraft reentry simulations, and industrial applications such as material testing and high-velocity impact studies. Despite their widespread use, there is no standard design, with variations in geometry, size, and energy sources. Current research only evaluates the peak pressure of the shock wave produced and does not consider the effects of changing the size or geometry of the …

Investigation Of Shockwave Behavior To Inform Helmet Design Using Schlieren Imagery And Free-Field Blasts, Cody Jh Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations

"Ballistic resistance of military helmet designs is a prioritized feature to protect warfighters from traumatic brain injury. However, injuries from shock-based threats have not been optimized for warfighter protection and have resulted in the prevalence of blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI). Research gaps were identified in understanding the under wash effect using free field blasts and schlieren imagery. Thus, the following were investigated: (1) overpressure changes on a warfighter’s head due to directionality from a blast, (2) shock wave dampening effects of viscoelastic materials in helmets, and (3) geometric effects of a helmet brim design in the reduction of bTBI. …

Verification And Validation Of Modeling Of Fluid–Solid Interaction In Explosion-Resistant Designs Using Material Point Method, Mohammed H. Saffarini, Zhen Chen, Ahmed Elbelbisi, Hani Salim, Kyle A. Perry, Andrew L. Bowman, Stephen D. Robert

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Verifying and validating explosion-resistant design models are challenging tasks due to the difficulties in accurately capturing the failure evolution within a setup influenced by the combined effects of fluid–solid interactions (FSI), blast waves, fragmentation, and impact. Curtain wall system, as a key structural component, is widely used in various types of buildings for its aesthetic appeal and weather protection. Hence, optimizing the explosion-resistance of such systems is necessary to improve building safety. In this work, we develop computational procedures that can be used to enhance the design of blast-resistant structures. This paper focuses on studying a representative component (e.g., window …

Method Of Selecting The Optimal Variant Of Mine Closure With The Possibility Of Capturing Methane From Underground Excavations, Marian Turek, Małgorzata Magdziarczyk

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The article presents a method of selecting the optimal option for the closure of a coal mine, from which it is planned to capture the methane remaining in the goaf and deposit it for many years for its economic use. Using the example of several options for the closure of one of the mines, for which the evaluation criteria have been defined, and the weights of their relevance have been determined, it is described how to create a special algorithm for the selection of the optimal option.

Application Of Haines And Terbrugge Chart For Suitable Slope Angles – A Case Study Of Artisanal And Small-Scale Mining, Carol Mgiba, Steven Rupprecht

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Significant hazards in Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) are rock failure and slope collapse caused by overly steep pit walls, poor mine design and water pressure. There is a lack of expertise and capital in ASM. Providing a simple and cost-effective slope stability analysis and designing systems that can mitigate the risk of slope collapse is essential. This article aims to assess whether stability charts and estimations can be used to establish suitable slope angles to mitigate the overwhelming cases of slope collapse in ASM. The Bieniawski’s Rock Mass Rating system and Heins and Terbrugge stability chart were used to …

Utilization Of Solar And Wind Power-Generation Systems In The Mining Industry: Recent Trends And Future Prospects, Elaheh Mohammadi Valikandi, Yosoon Choi

Journal of Sustainable Mining

In recent years, the mining industry has faced many challenges, such as rising demand, fluctuating energy prices, increasing energy consumption due to declining ore grades, and environmental concerns. According to the Paris Agreement, countries worldwide must focus on decarbonizing their economies to mitigate the global average surface temperature growth. This paper reviews how renewable energy, specifically photovoltaic and wind power systems, can be used to tackle some of these challenges. Operating mines globally, like the South Deep gold mine in South Africa and the MA'ADEN Alumina Refinery in Saudi Arabia, and abandoned mines, such as former coal mines in the …

Polish Energy Sector’S Dependence On Lignite Mining: The Process Of Transition, Marek Widera, Wojciech Naworyta, Paweł Urbański

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This opinion study is devoted to the role of lignite in the Polish energy sector in recent decades, i.e., after the collapse of communism in 1989. Lignite is the primary source of electricity in Poland, second only to hard coal. More than 25–35% of Polish electricity was generated by lignite-fired power plants in 1990–2022. To meet the needs of the energy industry, 46–70 Mt of lignite was mined annually in that period. Hence, Poland was, and still is, one of the world leaders in lignite production. Despite the ongoing transition of the Polish energy sector, changes occur very slowly due …

Spatio-Temporal Changes In The Gravity And Post-Mining Seismic Activity In Abandoned Deep Coal Mine Kazimierz-Juliusz During Flooding, Andrzej Kotyrba, Łukasz Kortas, Sławomir Siwek

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The flooding of an underground hard coal mine, resulting in the filling of post-mining voids (workings and goafs) and the repeated saturation of pore and interstitial spaces of the adjacent rock with water, change the mass and its distribution in the near-surface part of the earth’s crust. This process is slow and lasts many years. As a result, the local gravity field undergoes dynamic changes. It depends on the surface morphology and the density of geological strata, which is related to their water content. Changes in the local gravity field can be monitored by periodic gravity surveys performed in the …

Enhancing Fuel Injection System Reliability Through Weibull Family Functions Analysis, Ali Nouri Qarahasanlou, Abbas Barabadi, Meisam Saleki, Ali Rahimazar, Parisa Rezakhania, Masoume Gholamia

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The efficient operation of heavy machinery is crucial to the success of mining and civil construction operations. To guarantee this performance, equipment performance is assessed using the Reliability Index, which analyzes failures to study the ability of a system to carry out its intended functions under predetermined conditions. On the other hand, the failure rate and operational environmental condition (such as management decisions, maintenance performance, etc., that are defined as “risk factors”) over the life cycle of industrial systems pose a significant challenge to reliability analysis. This paper proposes an approach to address these challenges by extending Weibull family functions …

Hybrid Mechanism Of Electrical Breakdown In Ferroelectric Materials Under High-Pressure Shock Loading, Sergey I. Shkuratov, Jason Baird, Vladimir G. Antipov, Jay B. Chase, Christopher S. Lynch

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The unique ability of ferroelectrics to generate high voltage under shock loading is limited by electrical breakdown within the shock-compressed ferroelectric material. Breakdown is a hybrid process of initiation and growth. The possible mechanisms of electrical breakdown in ferroelectric films and bulk ceramics subjected to high-pressure shock loading are discussed and experiments designed to elucidate which mechanisms govern breakdown. Gigapascal shock loading experiments were performed on poled Pb_0.99(Zr_0.95Ti_0.05)_0.98Nb_0.02O₃ ferroelectric film specimens in the range of 32-156 μm thickness to determine the dependence of the breakdown field on thickness and …

Influence Of The Moisture On Fumes Derived From The Anfo Detonation, Andrzej Biessikirski, Mateusz Pytlik, Michał Dworzak, Michał Twardosz, Mariusz Wądrzyk, Rafał Janus

Journal of Sustainable Mining

ANFO is one of the most commonly used explosives in open-pit mining, usually produced by mixing systems on the blast site. One of the problems usually not considered is the moisture”s influence on the stored ammonium nitrate(V). The influence of moisture on fumes and the detonation process has been investigated by placing ammonium nitrate(V) prills in the climatic chamber. In the investigation, the influence was evaluated for ANFO samples which were produced based on the two types of fuel oils. It was concluded that the 3.0% moisture level resulted in the lowest NOx content in both case studies. Further increased …

Modified Method For Assessing The Required Expenditures And Estimated Time Of Hard Coal Mine Liquidation, Andrzej Chmiela, Małgorzata Wysocka, Adam Smoliński

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The restructuring of hard coal mining requires significant budgetary expenditures. A comprehensive scientific approach may facilitate the rationalisation and minimisation of mine closure costs. This study proposes a method for the preliminary estimation of the costs and time required for the potential liquidation of a hard coal mine. In addition to a literature review, a statistical analysis and a case study, personal interviews were conducted with individuals with direct management over the restructuring, reclamation and liquidation processes pertaining to mines undergoing closure.

The assessment method is based on an analysis of the mine liquidation costs, divided into successive years of …

Study On Law And Influencing Factors Of Air Leakage In Isolated Island Working Face With Large Burial Depth, Gang Wang, Mingze Xia, Shuliang Xie, Hao Xu, Shuxin Wang, Xintai Deng

Journal of Sustainable Mining

During the mining of a single coal seam isolated island work surface with large burial depth, the high mine pressures can crush and break the protective coal pillars, causing serious air leakages in the rear goaf. Herein, we use the analytic hierarchy process(AHP) to determine the main influencing factors of air leakage in island mining face. The air leakage source and sink in goaf were determined by measuring the differential pressures between the island mining face and the adjacent goaf using the energy level measurement method. The air volumes in the roadways were monitored on site to quantitatively analyze the …

Prototype Device For Measuring The Dustiness Of Stone And Lime Dust Used In Explosion Prevention, Adrian Toman, Zdzisław Dyduch, Tomasz Skowronek

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This paper presents the prototype of a device for measuring the dustiness of powdered materials by means of a new measurement method. The currently employed stationary laboratory device, utilised in KD “Barbara”, uses the attenuation of a radiant flux transmitted through a dust cloud induced by a manually generated air blast. The new device uses the same measurement method, but it includes modern elements based on a microprocessor, a laser line generator instead of an LED diode, and a precise multi-channel detector. The generated quantity of the mixture (dust and air) is strictly determined and precisely dosed via buffer containers, …

Tracking Mining Company Electric Vehicles For Sustainable Development Optimization Using Distributed Ledger Technologies, Teodora Hristova

Journal of Sustainable Mining

It is established that based on the industrial revolutions towards Industry 5.0, the population of the Earth and its well-being are increasing. To preserve and improve living conditions the development in all spheres of life is by the paradigm of sustainable development. Through the prism of the mining industry, one step could be the introduction of circular economy measures for digitized tracking of materials, repairs, consumed electricity, safety, and finances. Implementing of electric cars is an option to achieve this goal through automation, manageability, and data traceability via Industry 4.0 technologies. Such are blockchain technologies, IoT, V2V, and others. For …

Interaction Of Particles With Plasma And Shock Produced By Pulsed Spark Discharge, Shomik Mukhopadhyay

Dissertations

Interactions of powders with high-temperature plasma and shockwaves occur in diverse scenarios, such as nuclear blasts, accidental industrial dust explosions, solid propellant combustion in explosive charges and when removing contaminants from surfaces. Electrostatic Discharge (ESD), known for generating shock and plasma, is a promising lab-scale technique for simulating these interactions. Studies with ESD involved placing powders near a spark-producing gap between electrodes and observing mechanical and chemical processes like particle motion and ignition. A limited range of spark conditions and material properties have been tested, which facilitated the development and validation of preliminary computational models describing this system. Significant gaps …

Double Acting Liberation Of Ni And Co In The Pre-Treatment Process To Increase Recovery Of Nickel From Low-Grade Nickel Laterite, Eni Febriana, Muhamad Irham Mulyadi, Wahyu Mayangsari, Januar Irawan, Iwan Setiawan, Ahmad Maksum, Florentinus Firdiyono, Soesaptri Oediyani, Agus Budi Prasetyo, Johny W. Soedarsono

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This study highlights the effectiveness of employing double-acting liberation to release Ni and Co from the complex phases of the low-grade nickel laterite. It includes the addition of concentrated sulphuric acid and NaF as well as the heat treatment prior to roasting and leaching processes to improve the destruction of the complex phases contained. The finding describes that dehydration of iron sulfate and decomposition of the lizardite at a lower temperature, 270°C, were occurred in the pre-treatment process, followed by hematite formation in the roasting process. It subsequently accelerated Ni and Co extraction in the pregnant solution and omitted Fe …

Bibliometric Review Of The Landscape And Thematic Structure Of Research On Sustainable Mining In Asean, 1942–2022, Nathatai Janjirawatna, Sirisuhk Rakthin, Philip Hallinger

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This bibliometric review addressed the lack of consolidated information on the current state of sustainable mining in the ASEAN region. The review analyzed bibliographic data associated with 539 Scopus-indexed documents on sustainable mining in ASEAN nations published through the end of 2022. Descriptive statistics identified a great disparity in the scope of research on sustainable mining practices across the ASEAN countries. Surprisingly, a significant portion of the extant research on sustainable mining in the region has been authored by scholars from outside of ASEAN. Keyword analyses highlighted several emerging research topics including life cycle assessment, conservation of natural resources, climate …

The Interplay Of Casing Material And Detonation Wave Shock Parameters In Steel Witness Plate Dent Formation, Emily M. Johnson, Catherine E. Johnson

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This Study Uses Both Experimentation and Simulation to Investigate How Varying Casing Material Around Cylindrical Composition-B Charges Affects Witness Plate Response and Diagnoses the Cause of the Differences in the Dents Produced. through Experimentation, It Was Found that Consistent Dents Are Produced from Repeated Tests and Characteristically Different Dents Are Produced by Charges with Different Casing Material. Charges Cased in Viscoelastic Materials Produced Shallower Dents Than Those Without Casing. Simulation Was Validated Against the Experimental Dents, and the Detonation Wave Parameters Were Measured for 25 Differently Cased Charges: 15 Metals and 10 Polymers. Regression Fit Relationships Were Derived Relating Dent …

Environmental Health Impacts Of Small-Scale Gold Mining In East Indonesia: Mercury Pollution And Nature Conservation, Tri Edhi Budhi Soesilo, Nada Ismita Hawa, Nuraeni Nuraeni

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The expansion of small-scale gold mining impacts environmental health and socioeconomic. Research in Bombana District, one of the gold mining centers in eastern Indonesia, was conducted to explore perceptions of the impact of small-scale gold mining on human health and attitudes towards environmental conservation activities related to small-scale gold mining activities. This research uses a quantitative approach with univariate tests to identify respondent characteristics, bivariate tests (Chi-square) to test relationships and frequency differences, and multivariate analysis (regression) to test the direction and magnitude of the relationship. The perception of the impact of small-scale gold mining on human health was not …

Critical Raw Material In Mineral Elements Found In Fly Ashes From The Czech Republic Power Plant, Agnieszka Klupa

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The economic development of EU countries is limited due to limited access to a number of mineral raw materials, which necessitates actions aimed at securing the supply of CRM. For this reason, CRMs constitute elements of particular importance for the EU. The aim of the study was to assess the content of CRMs as a potential source of REY in fly ash resulting from the coal combustion in one of the power plants in the Czech Republic. In the tested ash the main phases are: glassy phase, mullite and quartz. The chemical composition of the tested fly ashes showed dominance …