The book contains 15 semi-independent chapters history of electric and electronic blasting, rock mass as an engineering material, fracture mechanics, wave propagation, shock waves, wave-crack interaction, damage mechanics, electronic timing, basics of electronic blasting and precise initiation. Special techniques such as air decking, pre-split, vibration and flyrock control, damage control, application in underground mining, pre-conditioning of rock mass, methods to improve fragmentation in hard rock mining, cast blasting, metal ore and coal mining applications are also introduced.
The book uses intermediate to basic mathematics and relies heavily on photographs of dynamic processes taken with high speed photographic equipment. Practical applications from Chile and Australian mines will be discussed and included. A special software package assists the reader in doing a wide range of 2D and 3D blasting problems of his own design and interest.