Effect of Geological Condition on Degree of Fragmentation in a Simpang Pulai Marble Quarry

This paper aims to study the effect of geological condition on fragmentation produced by blasting in a marble quarry in Simpang Pulai, Perak, Malaysia; as the condition of the in-situ rock mass is one of the major factors influencing fragmentation degree. Parameters taken into account are chosen from the Rock Mass Rating (RMR) system: discontinuity length, strength of intact material, spacing, weathering, separation and infilling. Geological mapping is done at a bench blasting site before blasting operation is carried out to obtain the structural RMR values of the selected site; the value of strength of intact material is obtained through Uniaxial Compression Strength (UCS) test. After blasted, muckpiles photos are taken to evaluate the degree of fragmentation using image processing software, WipFrag. Fragmentation assessment data from a number of different blasts are then compared and are linked to their respective UCS and structural data to evaluate the impact of these properties on resultant fragments size. It is found that strength of rock mass, discontinuities’ direction against the slope face and its structural properties in a blast location do affect the size of fragments produced.