Stiffness Ratio

Stiffness Ratio = BH/ B

where BH is Bench Height
B is the Burden
Target Stiffness Ratios
3 to 4 is normal range
> 4 does not improve fragmentation (may risk cut-
offs much above 6)
2 - redesign if you can
< 2 - Get someone you dont like near shot
Stiffness Ratio Example

What is the Stiffness Ratio for a 40 foot

bench with 6.5 feet of burden on each hole
40 / 6.5 = 6.15
Shot wont crater
No real advantage to such a high bench
and small hole
May need to watch for cut-off problems in
later practice or other equations
 The Problem of
Interrelationships
Burden is a function of Hole Size and
explosive
Acceptable Bench Height is a function of
burden and thus hole size and explosive
Hole Size is a function of drilling
equipment - but so is bench height
Solution is usually to find what parameter
is fixed and work out from there
 Suppose Bench Height
is Fixed
In a quarry thickness of rock layers may set
May have been set in a previous mine plan
May be fixed by grade control constraints in
metal mine
need to be able to selectively mine
cant scramble ore face with explosives
Working Height of Equipment may Set
 Solving for Maximum
Allowable Hole Size on a
Fixed Bench
Combining the Burden and Stiffness Ratio
formulas and backsolving hole size
For SR = 2 , L = Bench Height = 40, E = 100,
Sgr = 2.6
L / (2 * { E/ Sgr } 0.33) = 6 inches
Holes larger than 6 inches will likely cause
cratering - smaller size is desirable
 Solving with a Fixed
Hole Size
Can Occur for Fixed Drilling Equipment
Can Determine a minimum acceptable bench
height with an approximation - Rule of 5
Lmin = 5 * De
If De = 3 inch hole then Lmin = 15 ft
Check
15 / 6.37 = 2.35 ft (6.37 from burden formula with
ANFO and 2.6 Sgr)
 What if I have no
constraints and Im Lost
Most Real Problems Have Hidden
Constraints
Equipment may fix
A Truck size usually constrains loader and
loaders have digging height that may fix the
bench
A given type of drill can only drill holes of
specific size range
Hole loading technique may limit bench height
 Finding Hidden
Constraints
Geology may Constrain
Need to mine certain intervals
quarry rock quality control
toxic or substitute topsoil rock in coal mine
Grade Control
height of bench averages out high and low grades
and may limit selective mining
Need to Manipulate Problem Layers
hard layer on top wont fragment in stemming zone
In middle may cause cut-offs
 Finding Constraints
Performance may constrain
May require certain fragmentation characteristics or
costs
fragmentation usually more uniform with smaller holes
and benches
fragmentation usually cheaper with larger holes and
benches
Regulations may constrain
Some localities limit bench height for safety
Blast Vibration may limit charge length