Orica says new software allows blasting in sensitive areas

Vibration and air blast from uncontrolled blasting can cause significant damage to nearby structures. One solution is to blast at significantly reduced energies – slowing production and raising costs – or resort to alternative excavation technologies. Orica’s Advanced Vibration Management (AVM) software has been designed to link blast design, modelling and measurement to ‘conserve’ sensitive structures and allow blasting in high-risk areas, as well as in those which may previously have been deemed too risky for blasting.

As part of an effort to create safer, more predictable and productive blast outcomes, AVM software has been added to Orica’s integrated BlastIQ digital blast optimisation software to allow customers to ‘seamlessly’ link blast designs, drilled actuals and vibration measurements. Using cloud-computing architecture, the new software is claimed to offer a ‘step-change’ in vibration and air-blast management, delivering data across multiple measurement points throughout the operation.

The software is based on an online application that offers an interface to capture and see the predicted and actual results of vibration monitoring, with cloud architecture driving the modelling from blast design through to execution.