Analysis of ground vibrations caused by open pit production blasts - A case study

Abstract

In order to study the characteristics of ground vibrations caused by production blasts in an open pit gold mine and to evaluate the impact of the vibrations to buildings, a seismic survey was conducted at an open pit mine. Two monitoring lines with multiple seismic stations were surveyed. The first line had a length of 4,492 m and the second line runs approximately perpendicular to the first line with a length of 823 m. The seismographs recorded the particle acceleration, velocity, and displacement in longitudinal, transverse and vertical directions. The magnitudes of peak particle motions were calculated and compared with several established damage criteria used in mining and geotechnical/structure engineering. Empirical equations were established based on the field measurements. Analyses were also performed to exam the effects of geological structures on the attenuation of individual vibration components as well as the peak vector sum of the particle velocity.