An Assessment of Blasting Vibrations: A Case Study on Quarry Operation

Problem statement: One of the major environmental concerns related to blasting operation in mining and civil engineering projects is ground vibration. Approach: This study presented an assessment of ground vibrations caused by the blasting experiments at a marlstone quarry in northern Italy. The primary goal of this study was to determine the vibration level in order to protect dwelling area adjacent to the quarry. Based on the data obtained from the field, a new equation for the level of ground vibrations was proposed. Results: A comparative analysis between the results obtained by the new equation and common empirical predictors currently used in blasting practice was also carried out. Conclusion: Results indicated that a new equation may be used as a reliable predictor of the vibration level for the studied quarry.