Investigation of blast-induced fracture in rock mass using reversed vertical seismic profiling

The rock mass on quarry and pit wall surfaces is usually fractured during production blasting. Quantitative investigations of the fractured zones are needed for stabilization of the rock walls. In this study, the principle of reversed vertical seismic profiling (RVSP) was applied. A set of seismic geophones were arranged on the horizontal bench surface and seismic signals were generated along the vertical rock wall using a free-swinging hammer. The travel times of seismic rays were recorded and the P-wave velocities of the rock mass were analyzed using the Simultaneous Iterative Reconstruction Technique (SIRT). A series of site tests have been carried out on the rock walls at a granite quarry that are characterized by fractures. The fracture depth at various locations on the wall surface is thereby determined. The results indicate that RVSP provides an easy and reliable method to quantitatively evaluate the blasting-induced fractures in the rock mass. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.