Physical scale modelling of roadway advance with wedge cut blasting for South Wing Rail at Tunliu Mine

Blasting with wedge cut is the key to the efficiency of roadway excavation in coal mines, particularly where the rock face is highly laminated. The quality of the wedge cuts can directly affect blasting results. A series of model experiments were carried out in the Blasting Laboratory of Henan Polytechnique University, China, in order to improve the quality of wedge cuts and increase roadway development rates in the South Wing rail of Tunliu mine. Three groups of twelve wedge cut model experiments were conducted, which showed that the wedge cutting boreholes angle can affect the depth and volume of blasted zone. It was found that; symmetrical cut pattern was beneficial, and effective stemming of the blasting holes can enhance explosive energy efficiency and ensure effective blasting. Suitable roadway wedge cut blasting parameters were determined through the analysis of test results.