Analysis of rock fragmentation in bench blasting using digital image processing

In this paper, techniques of digital image processing are developed to determine the size distribution of fragmented rock before and after blasting. Several different image processing techniques are demonstrated. Also, a set of experiments have been conducted to validate the assumptions made in die image processing analysis. Our results indicate a close agreement in the size distribution between the image processing analysis and traditional sieving. Also, the methods that have been developed are able to determine three dimensional block distributions from images taken of the surface of the volume. Finally, it is shown how images of fragmented rock can be used estimate the surface area per unit volume, from which the energy per unit volume can be calculated using fracture mechanics principles.