A Comparison Of The Theoretical And Measured Velocities Of Detonation For Selected Explosives

Two detonation models, IDeX for ideal VOD and CPeX for non-ideal VOD, were used to predict the velocities of detonation (VOD) of five explosives: ANFO, a bulk emulsion, and three repumpable emulsions (R100 Gold, R100 Diamond, and R105). The theoretical VODs were compared with the in-hole VODs of the explosives, and the predicted and actual values were found to be within experimental error for ANFO and the bulk emulsion. The results were not consistent for the repumpable emulsions. The discrepancies can be explained as being due to variations in mining and loading practices. The results show that the detonation models can be effective tools in predicting the behaviour of explosives in different diameters and rock confinements, provided that the user is aware of the factors that can affect the optimal usage of explosives and equipment.