Tunnelling in Rock by Drilling and Blasting presents the latest developments in the excavation of tunnels using the drilling and blasting method. Examples of work conducted throughout the world including the Indian sub-continent, Australia, and Sweden amongst others are discussed. These tunnel projects serve to illustrate the challenges and importance of drilling accuracy, the effect of geology, methods of vibration prediction and control, and techniques for assessing tunnel performance in terms of overbreak and underbreak, advance and rock mass damage. A number of case studies demonstrate the ingenuity required to successfully excavate tunnels in demanding circumstances. Finally, an overview is provided of the software tools and IT, and the explosives and initiation products used to implement tunnel blast designs.

Tunnelling in Rock by Drilling and Blasting is the outcome of the workshop, Tunnelling in Rock by Drilling and Blasting, hosted by the 10th International Symposium on Rock Fragmentation by Blasting (Fragblast 10, November 2010, New Delhi, India), and is essential reading for researchers and practitioners in tunnelling in rock by drilling and blasting.