EXPLOSIVE‐ROCK INTERACTIONS; EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

In this paper we discuss a series of experiments to extract data relevant to the loading of geological materials by explosives. Metre cube blocks of limestone were subjected to explosive loading from a borehole. Stress gauges, accelerometers and a multi‐point VISAR system were used to monitor material behaviour at a variety of distances from the loading point, in order to provide a robust data set for modellers. Through the use of two separate target geometries the effect of jointing in geological materials was investigated and shown to have a significant effect on the attenuation of the stress pulse passing through the material.