Aimone-Martin Associates - Construction Blasting

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Construction Blasting

Our primary focus is on Community Relations and Risk Management Planning

Aimone-Martin Associates, LLC have extensive field experience working with blasting personnel and contractors to mitigate
vibrations and air overpressure (airblast) from rock blasting and other applications of explosives. Our company's prime focus is risk assessments and management to reduce liabilities of off-site impacts of blasting operations. Concern of community members living near construction projects always involve potential property damage from repetitive rock blasting. These concerns must be continually addressed throughout blasting projects. We provide sound public relations programs starting with timely pre-blast community meetings, structure condition surveys and specialized structure instrumentation and analysis. Throughout blasting operations, our company performs a series of vibration analyses as part of a site characterization plan, followed with carefully planned off-site vibration and air pressure monitoring at structures closest to the blasting. We work closely with the blaster to ensure best practices and methods are employed to reduce vibrations and air overpressure to the lowest possible levels. Our public relations efforts continue throughout the project to

ensure the public is kept informed about the safe blasting practices conducted in their community,
perform additional seismograph monitoring when requested,
conduct post-blast inspection in response to concerns about possible blast-related cracking in structures, and
talk with home owners to help alleviate these concerns.

With a sound community relations plan that includes monitoring and on-going public communication, blasters and developers can be assured that their work can be completed while the community is kept informed about safe blasting practices that will protect their structures.

Attenuation Surveys

Site-specific attenuation surveys are conducted during the first few blasts to characterize the decrease (or attenuation) in ground motion intensity as a function of increasing distance and varying direction from the blast site. The distance-dependent attenuation rate of ground motion is important when predicting off-site impacts, assessing alleged damage claims, and when modifying blast design parameters.

Linear arrays of a large number of seismographs are placed in different compass or azimuthal directions from the blast site. Attenuation surveys can be used to

identify site geological controls
minimize ground vibrations, air overpressure
and noise
predict worst-case vibrations at off-site
structures
assist in the control of back break and
fragmentation
help establish optimum delay timing for the
blast design
assess seismograph data quality

Seismograph monitoring services

Monitor of each blast is essential to ensure compliance with frequency-based safe vibration standards. We provide high quality field seismograph monitoring services and engineering reports.

Pre-blast condition surveys of structures

Structure condition surveys are necessary to manage construction blasting liabilities. High resolution digital stills and digital
videos are used to document pre-existing defects in structures near future blasting operations. A complete engineering report is
provided with each survey.

Damage claims assessment

Blast-related damage claims assessments require education, training, and skill to identify the real causes of cracking in structures. It is not sufficient to photograph alleged damages in structures, review blasting records, and state blasting did not cause observed damages. Today's investigations must include reasons for the observed damages, supported by scientific facts related to foundation design, geotechnical and structural engineering, knowledge of construction material behavior and environmental conditions leading to structure defects. Our experienced engineers are experts in soil and rock mechanics as well as foundation design and apply sound engineering principles to differentiate blast-related damages and natural and expected defects in structures from non-blasting influences.

Videography of blasting

Digital movies of blasts are always provided to our clients as part of our vibration monitoring services without charge. Filming blasts can provide valuable details of explosives and delay detonator performance and pin-point blast design problems as well as certain geological structural controls. We feel all blasts should be videotaped as part of a comprehensive risk management program.