Surface mine blast vibration transmission over deep mines

Blast induced ground vibrations from surface mining were studied in the Chandler, Indiana area to assess how old underground abandoned mines affected these vibrations. Over 4,700 blasting records collected by the Peabody Coal Company in that area were analyzed. Predictive graphs and equations were developed from the data. Empirical formulas were produced from a series of logarithmic graphs of peak particle velocity versus scaled distance. These graphs and equations were compared to determine if underground mines will affect ground vibrations produced from surface mining. However, the only factor considered was the presence of underground mines and not any other geological features. The presence of underground mines can affect the transmission of vibrations from surface mining. The data derived from vibrations passing through or over underground mines predict a higher peak particle velocity at large scaled distances and lower peak particle velocity at small scaled distances than do all the data from the research. In addition, the design envelope line for data from vibrations that passed over or through underground mines predicts lower peak particle velocity at small scaled distances and higher peak particle velocity at large scaled distances than do the data from all other vibrations.