Numerical modeling of the fractured zones around a blasthole

The high-energy rate of shock waves, as an important part of explosion energy, plays a significant role in the mechanism of rock fragmentation. This energy rate and the mechanism of rock fracturing are controlled by several parameters related to both the explosive charge and rock mechanical properties. In this study, the mechanism of rock fragmentation due to blast-induced shock waves in a single blasthole was numerically simulated by a two-dimensional discrete element code. The numerical results included the stresses around the blastholes, the number of blast-induced fractures and the density of cracks, which were compared with the corresponding experimental results. This comparison showed that the numerical results were in good agreement with their experimental counterparts. It is concluded that the proposed numerical model could be effectively used for the simulation of the crack propagation process around a blasthole.