Blast design aspects for safe excavation of sandstone in mizoram

The usage of explosive in rock blasting has direct influence on the surrounding environments and safety of the workers. Inefficient blast often leads to the problems of ground vibration, fly rock and air blast. Eco-friendly blast design calls for in-depth knowledge of both the properties of explosive and rockmass to be blasted. Structural discontinuities of rock such as joints, bedding planes, fractures, foliation planes etc. have marked effect on rock fragmentation. Strength properties of rock such as tensile strength and compressive strength are also predominant factors for blast design. An attempt s made in this paper to establish blast design parameters for safer and economical excavation of sandstone deposit in the state of Mizoram. Studies have been conducted in some of the quarries around Aizawl town, the state capital. Based on rock and rockmass properties and explosive, different blasting parameters are determined. Various existing standard formula are utilized for the design aspects