Dispute Resolution in the Mining Industry: Lessons Learned from the Effects of Blasting on Nearby Structures
Publication: Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction
Volume 13, Issue 3
Abstract
Blasting is a common practice in surface mining operations to remove waste rock and to excavate mineral deposits. However, blasting creates adverse effects such as blast-induced ground vibrations, air overpressure, dust, fumes, and flyrock. Residential communities living close to a mine site and other structures in the vicinity of a mining operation are subject to blast-induced damages. Humans can perceive low-level vibrations from blasting events that cause house to shake. They become concerned about cosmetic or structural damages due to blast-induced vibrations and air overpressures. Some cosmetic and structural damage claims from the community are legitimate. However, many are found to be false during the investigation of citizen complaints. In these instances, monetary compensation is still expected, on the basis that damages were solely due to blasting activities in nearby mines. This study presents cases and investigations to resolve owner-filed complaints for regulatory action and monetary compensation. It emphasizes recordkeeping and monitoring of blast operations, from which two positive outcomes result: (1) assisting regulatory authorities in assessing compliance with blasting regulations and prevention of damage to structures; and (2) helping the mining industry identify critical blasting information needed to protect nearby structures minimize liability claims.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
All data used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge valuable insights provided by the lead investigator, who provided explosives/blasting reports related to the two case studies presented in this study.
References
Works Cited
Abdel-Rasoul, E. I. 2000. Measurement and analysis of the effect of ground vibrations induced by blasting at the limestone quarries of the Egyptian cement company, 54–71. Cairo, Egypt: International Centre of Economics, Humanities and Management, Cairo Univ.
Adhikari, G. R., A. I. Theresraj, H. S. Venkatesh, R. Balachander, and R. N. Gupta. 2004. “Ground vibration due to blasting in limestone quarries.” Fragblast 8 (2): 85–94. https://doi.org/10.1080/13855140412331336160.
Aloui, M., Y. Bleuzen, E. Essefi, and C. Abbes. 2016. “Ground vibrations and air blast effects induced by blasting in open pit mines: Case of Metlaoui Mining Basin, Southwestern Tunisia.” J. Geol. Geophys. 5 (3): 1–8. https://doi.org/10.4172/2381-8719.1000247.
Bhandari, S. 1997. Engineering rock blasting operations. Rotterdam, Netherlands: Brookfield.
Chen, G., and S. L. Huang. 2001. “Analysis of ground vibrations caused by open pit production blasts—A case study.” Fragblast 5 (1–2): 91–107. https://doi.org/10.1076/frag.5.1.91.3316.
Connolly, L. 2018. The effects of underground blasting on nearby pre-existing structures. Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest.
Crandell, F. J. 1949. Ground vibration due to blasting and its effect upon structures. Boston: Boston Society of Civil Engineers.
Crawford, R., and H. S. Ward. 1965. Dynamic strains in concrete and masonry walls. Ottawa, ON: Division of Building Research, National Research Council of Canada.
Crum, S. V., D. E. Siskind, and K. Eltschlager. 1992. “Blast vibration measurements at far distances and design influences on ground vibrations.” In Proc., Annual Conf. on Explosives and Blasting Technique, 167. Cleveland: International Society of Explosives Engineers.
Djordjevic, N. M. 1995. “A study on the blast induced ground vibrations and their effects on structures.” Ph.D. thesis, Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre, Univ. of Queensland.
Dowding, C. H. 1996. Vol. 9 of Construction vibrations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Duvall, W. I., and D. E. Fogelson. 1962. Vol. 5968 of Review of criteria for estimating damage to residences from blasting vibrations. Washington, DC: US Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Mines.
Eltschlager, K. 2001. Vol. 1 of Regulatory review of blasting related citizen complaints, 235. Cleveland: International Society of Explosives Engineers.
Eltschlager, K. 2020a. Evaluation of the WV DEP investigation of alleged blast-vibration damages to the Leonard and Kathie Farley residence. Washington, DC: US Dept. of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
Eltschlager, K. 2020b. Investigation of alleged blasting damages to the Larry Bush residence. Washington, DC: US Dept. of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
Erten, O., G. Konak, M. S. Kizil, A. H. Onur, and D. Karakus. 2009. “Analysis of quarry-blast-induced ground vibrations to mitigate their adverse effects on nearby structures.” Int. J. Min. Miner. Eng. 1 (4): 313–326. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJMME.2009.029317.
Gad, E. F., J. L. Wilson, A. J. Moore, and A. B. Richards. 2005. “Effects of mine blasting on residential structures.” J. Perform. Constr. Facil. 19 (3): 222–228. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0887-3828(2005)19:3(222).
Hopler, R. 1998. Blasters’ handbook. 17th ed. Cleveland: International Society of Explosives Engineers.
Jaeger, J. C., and N. G. W. Cook. 1979. Fundamentals of rock mechanics. London: Chapman and Hall.
Kahriman, A. 2004. “Analysis of parameters of ground vibration produced from bench blasting at a limestone quarry.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng. 24 (11): 887–892. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2004.06.018.
Kisi, K. P., J. Shrestha, and R. Kayastha. 2020. “Labor shortage and safety issues in postearthquake building construction: Case study.” J. Leg. Aff. Dispute Resolut. Eng. Constr. 12 (3): 05020011. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)LA.1943-4170.0000386.
Kuzu, C., and H. Ergin. 2005. “An assessment of environmental impacts of quarry-blasting operation: A case study in Istanbul, Turkey.” Environ. Geol. 48 (2): 211–217. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-1291-5.
Medearis, K. 1977. “The development of rational damage criteria for low-rise structures subjected to blasting vibrations.” In Proc., 18th US Symp. on Rock Mechanics (USRMS). Alexandria, VA: American Rock Mechanics Association.
Medearis, K. 1978. “Rational damage criteria for low rise structures subjected to blasting vibrations.” Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng. 65 (3): 611–621.
Nicholls, H. R. 1971. Blasting vibrations and their effects on structures. Washington, DC: US Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Mines.
Ozer, U., A. Kahriman, M. Aksoy, D. Adiguzel, and A. Karadogan. 2008. “The analysis of ground vibrations induced by bench blasting at Akyol quarry and practical blasting charts.” Environ. Geol. 54 (4): 737–743. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0859-7.
Reed, J. L. 2005. Vol. 1 of Seismographs—An historical overview, 7. Cleveland: International Society of Explosives Engineers.
Singh, P. K., A. K. Sirveiya, K. N. Babu, M. P. Roy, and C. V. Singh. 2006. “Evolution of effective charge weight per delay for prediction of ground vibrations generated from blasting in a limestone mine.” Int. J. Surf. Min. Reclam. Environ. 20 (1): 4–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/13895260500286050.
Singh, P. K., W. Vogt, R. B. Singh, and D. P. Singh. 1996. “Blasting side effects-Investigations in an opencast coal mine in India.” Int. J. Surf. Min. Reclam. 10 (4): 155–159. https://doi.org/10.1080/13895260500286050.
Siskind, D. E. 1980. Vol. 8485 of Structure response and damage produced by airblast from surface mining. Washington, DC: US Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Mines.
Siskind, D. E., M. S. Stagg, J. W. Kopp, and C. H. Dowding. 1980. Structure response produced by ground vibration from surface mine blasting. Pittsburgh, PA: US Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Mines.
Srbulov, M. 2010. Vol. 12 of Ground vibration engineering: Simplified analyses with case studies and examples. New York: Springer.
Stark, T. D. 2010. “Is construction blasting still abnormally dangerous?” J. Leg. Aff. Dispute Resolut. Eng. Constr. 2 (4): 208–217. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)LA.1943-4170.0000037.
Stiehr, J. F. 2011. ISEE blasters’ handbook. Cleveland: International Society of Explosives Engineers.
Tripathy, G. R., and I. D. Gupta. 2002. “Prediction of ground vibrations due to construction blasts in different types of rock.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 35 (3): 195–204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-001-0022-9.
US Department of Interior 2019. Office of surface mining reclamation and enforcement. Washington, DC: US Department of Interior.
Wiss, J. F. 1968. “Effects of blasting vibrations on buildings and people.” Civ. Eng. 38 (7): 46–48.
Yugo, N., and W. Shin. 2015. “Analysis of blasting damage in adjacent mining excavations.” J. Rock Mech. Geotech. Eng. 7 (3): 282–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2014.12.005.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 25, 2021
Accepted: Apr 16, 2021
Published online: Jun 11, 2021
Published in print: Aug 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Nov 11, 2021
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.