Improving blast-induced rock fragmentation in Milton Quarry

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The proposed research project aims to improve the blasting process in Milton quarry by integrating advancedmonitoring and instrumentation techniques. A geophysical ground penetrating radar will be used tocharacterize the spatial variation of open voids in the limestone rock mass at the quarry site. These voids arecausing the escape of explosive energy and consequently a poor rock fragmentation. Moreover, an aerialmethod based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle technology will be used to characterize the geometrical rockstructural characteristics which will be used to estimate the in-situ block size distribution of rock mass. Theinformation on spatial variation of open voids and discontinuties within the rock mass will be used as input tobuild a 3D structural model for the rock mass using Discrete Fracture Network model. The model allowsimproving the practice of decking blast in the quarry. The drone technology will be used to measure thepost-blast rock size distribution using image analysis. This allows assessing the effectivness of the blastdecking modification on the blast-induced fragmentation size distribution. Using advanced instrumentation andmonitoring techniques together with the state of the art structural modeling approach will allow improvment ofblasting outcomes at Milton quarry.