Rock blasting is use of chemical energy in the form of explosives to break the rock mass. In addition to fragmenting and displacing the rock mass, explosive energy produces unwanted effects like ground vibrations, noise, fly rock etc. Blasting engineer should focus in utilization more energy in fragmentation so that less energy available for unwanted effects. Rock properties, blast geometry parameters and explosive properties including initiation system will influence the blast performance. This book focus on the effect of initiation system and pattern on blast performance. It gives the details of field investigations carried out in different rock formations. Some new concepts like productive yield based on muck pile profile survey, burden ratio are proposed and a new method of estimating the energy wasted in the form of ground vibrations also proposed for assessment of blast performance.
