What is Rock Blasting?

Rock Blasting is the controlled use of explosives in excavating, breaking down, or removing large quantities of rock or other hard material, such as concrete. [1]


Why is it important?

Without the careful application of rock blasting techniques by expert specialists, modern methods of mining, quarrying, highway construction, dam construction, and other geological engineering projects wouldn't be possible.


Why is it related to physics?

Explosions are chemical-physical reactions that exert massive amounts of force on their surrounding objects.  The explosives engineers who oversee rock blasting procedures must have a solid background in Physics to understand the important concepts of velocity, force, energy transfer, momentum, pressure, and work.



Example

       

Blasting demolition of the cofferdam                                            Three Gorges Dam
© news.nationalgeographic.com                                                                           © tourschina.com

Over 200 tons of explosives, enough to level 400 10-story buildings, were used in the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, which spans China's Yangtze river and is the largest dam in the world with a length of 1.4 miles.  The main role that blasting played in the construction process was the destruction of the cofferdam, a temporary barrier to keep the water out while certain sections of the dam are constructed.  Blasting is often the only safe and effective way to remove the cofferdam after the main section has been completed. [2]

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