Blast Vibrations and Other Potential Causes of Damage in Homes Near a LargeSurface Coal Mine in Indiana

摘要

The U.S. Bureau of Mines studied seven homes near Evansville, IN, that hadvarious degrees of damage that the owners attributed to vibrations from surface coal mine blasting. Researchers monitored vibration and airblast impacts, crack behavior before and after blasts, and dynamic structural responses to blasting and other sources. Level-loop surveys were performed to quantify possible settlement and subsidence. These results were combined with State and coal company measurements to determine if recent vibration characteristics, airblast propagations, or structural responses were typical of results found in historical studies that produced criteria for safe blasting and regulatory limits.