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The art of drill plan design

Juha Kukkonen
Sandvik Mining and Construction, Tampere, Finland
SYNOPSIS: Cost management, project schedule and tunnel quality are the most critical success factors in
tunneling and underground construction business. Smooth and accurate contours in excavation will create
major cost savings in the excavation cycle tasks such as rock support works, scaling, loading and hauling. It
is essential to be conscious of the fact that the ability of a drilling jumbo to drill the hole into the planned
location, direction and length is a feature that the whole economical excavation is based on.
Blast control is most challenging at the end of the blasted round. The traditional good practice of manual
marking of the holes and todays most advanced techniques to consider blast design in the navigation plane
might cause some unsatisfying results.
The drill and blast design can be optimized in the most economical way when planning is considered in the
most critical location of the round and when blasting theories are taken into consideration as well.
The new drill plan design software developed by Sandvik Mining and Construction offers a solution for this
challenge. In the new iSURE (Sandvik Underground Rock Excavation) software the drill plan design has
been taken into the end of the round where the challenges of blasting will occur.
1. INTRODUCTION
Drill plan design and the accuracy of drilling
equipment have a significant role in the overall
control and productiveness of a tunneling
construction site. Effects cover many sectors of the
tunneling cycle through the quality of excavation.
The profile of the excavated tunnel can be
controlled by blast management and correct placing
of drill holes. A good excavated profile within the
limits of the excavation tolerance range creates the
basis for effective drilling of the next round.
Achieved accurate and smooth profile also makes
the need for support works smaller and potentially
reduces the amount of required sprayed concrete.
Thorough navigation and caution in phases of
drilling cycle are factors influencing the accuracy of
the drilling equipment. The importance of these
factors has to be realized and observed by all
involved in the process.
It is essential to be conscious of the fact that
the ability of a drilling jumbo to drill the hole into
the planned location, direction and length is a
feature that the whole economical excavation is
based on.
The iSURE software tool offers a project tree
combining all tunnel plans in one project. A tunnel
plan, in turn, combines a curve table, tunnel
profiles, drill plans, lasers and data collection files,
all of which can also be controlled separately either
on the blast plane or in the navigation plane. A
complete tunnel plan or drilling pattern can be
transferred to i-series jumbo. Transfer to
TDATA/TCAD hardware is also supported.
2. CONCEPTS AND BASIC THEORY OF
DRILL PLAN DESIGN
It is common that different types of profiles are
needed when a tunnel profile or a drilling pattern is
designed. It is useful to separate some of the most
common profiles used in the design process.
Theoretical profile is the profile which the owner of
the project has specified. Usually the owner also
defines a certain tolerance range for the theoretical
profile wherein the tunnel profile must be after
excavation.
The outermost holes of the drill plan are
planned to start from the circle of the face or the
start profile. The face profile corresponds to the
navigation profile on the navigated drill rig. The
face profile also considers the safety working
allowance which takes into account the allowed
tolerances and the empirical deviation of the
excavation. The safety working allowance is
defined by the contractor.
World Tunnel Congress 2008 - Underground Facilities for Better Environment and Safety - India
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Figure 1. Different profiles related to tunnel excavation
The outermost holes are planned to end to the
circle of the lookout or the end profile. The safety
working allowance and the lookout angles, due to
drilling, have been taken into account in the lookout
profile.
The allowed fracturing zone is measured from
the outermost holes of the drill plan. Different
profiles presented in Figures 1. and 2.
2.1 Basic terms and definitions
2.1.1 Length of drilling pattern, hole length and
shape of the round end
The length of the drilling pattern is defined as a
distance between the face profile and the blast
plane. Different hole types are sometimes drilled at
varying depths to be able to achieve a concave-
shaped round end (Figure 3). A rounded design
improves the advance in many times. This should
be taken into account already in the drill plan design
phase.
The different hole types used in drilling pattern
design are (Figure 4):
contour, the outermost holes of the pattern
aidrow 1 - 3, the next rows of holes towards
the center of the pattern from the contour
field 1 & 2, line segments, arcs or circle
elements of holes and cut holes.
2.1.2 Burden, spacing and specific charge
Burden is determined to be the shortest distance
from the blasted hole to an open space which also
could be the space blasted a moment ago. The
maximal burden is dependent on the strength of the
explosive, rock factor, inclination of the holes and
spacing. The maximum allowed burden is
considered at the end of the round where the
situation is most critical.
Specific charging q [kg/m
3
] is the needed
amount of certain explosive (with a certain
strength/kg) to loosen a certain volume of rock.
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Figure 2. Different profiles used in the iSURE Drill Plan Software

Figure 3. Hole lengths and round bottom design can be adjusted
The average degree of packing I [kg/m] is used
to be able to compare different charges or
explosives to each other. The strength of these
explosives is determined in proportion to some
known reference. The reference explosive could be
dynamite or ANFO, for example.
The spacing of holes E [m] is the distance
between adjacent holes and holes with same
detonating number. In theory, better quality of
excavation in the contour will be achieved if the
spacing in the contour is reduced. In practice, this is
not always the situation due to scattering of drilling
and drill hole deviation. Too short spacing leads to
an uncontrolled situation where explosion gases
may burst into the next hole blowing out the
explosives or compress the hole so that the
explosion cant take place.
The spacing burden ratio is typically in the
range of 0.8 for the profile or contour holes. In this
case the explosion in the contour holes breaks the
rock between them before pushing the rock towards
the center of the profile.
2.1.3 Burden calculation
When the blast of a round is considered from the
charge initiation point of view (starting from the
middle of the drill plan) it could be stated that the
most optimal location of the next charge row is such
that it has enough power to break the rock to the
open space that just has been created by the
previous explosion. In addition, enough power is
needed to move the expanded rock mass and to
create an open space for the next charge row to be
blasted.
To be able to utilize the burden calculation in
the drill plan design, the holes and burden created
by it has to be considered at the end of the round. In
practice, the burden calculation is made in the blast
plane (Figure 5) wherein the hole endings are
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Figure 4. Hole types used in drill plan design.
projected for calculation purposes. By this
procedure the calculation can be performed in 2D
(in plane).
2.1.4 Tables for charge and specific charge
Different charge types used and available in
blasting are listed and defined in a charge table
(Figure 6). For each charge an average degree of
charging and length of fracturing zone are defined.
These values are used in the calculation.
Explosives used in blasting, the needed
specific charging in the different parts of the drill
plan and also the aimed spacing between holes are
defined in a specific charge table. The burden
between rows and the location of aidrows are
calculated on the basis of these values.
3. DRILLING PATTERN DESIGN
The drilling pattern design has a direct influence on
the employment of time of a drilling rig. Roughly,
the employment of time for a drilling cycle consists
of a setup time and navigation of the rig, drilling of
the holes in the drill plan, boom movements
between holes and some auxiliary time after
drilling. If the drilling pattern is properly designed,
the employment of time can be affected. By the
shape of the round end the collaring of a new hole
can be influenced. Possible danger of booms
crashing into each other, i.e. standing time of the
booms, can be avoided by designing the sequence
of drilling. By doing this simultaneous ending of
drilling for each boom can be implemented.
Appropriate design for aligning the holes,
drilling sequence and roll over angle means that the
repeatability accuracy of the automated rig for
boom placing is fully applied. The selection of cut
type and design of the cut have an extensive impact
on the pull out and evenness of the shape of the
round end. The design and type of cut also
determines whether there is a need to change a
reaming bit during round drilling and if relatively
slow reaming has to be done. The amount of drill
holes in the drilling pattern has an effect on the pull-
out, fragment size and the quality of the excavation.
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Figure 5. Picture showing face profile (red), allowed fracturing (pink, the outermost profile),
hole placing for contour, 1
st
and 2
nd
aidrow and burden circles.
The drilling time of one round can be influenced by
the length of the round. Typically, in time-wise it is
productive to drill as long rounds as possible but in
this kind of a case the possible limitations in
excavation near population centers have to be
considered.
A very important part of tunnel worksite
management is the predictability of the excavation
cycle, not only because it is possible to be
systematically prepared that the needed capacity is
available in a correct place at a correct time but also
because possible limitations in blasting can also be
considered and, in case blasting is delayed, the
whole process machinery can be avoided from
stopping. In a large construction site the fixed costs
form a significant portion of the total costs. This
means that every lost round which leads to site
idling is very expensive.
The drill plan design substantially affects the
drillability of the pattern. The design of direction
angles, drilling sequence and roll over angles can
ease the drilling of the pattern, which equals to
decreased need of manual boom alignment
movement. Mechanical failures of a rig can be
avoided as well by the criteria referred to above. All
this means less deviation in round drilling time,
which reflects as better predictability of the cycle.
At its best, the role of drill plan design
software in a tunnel construction worksite is to be a
tool for excavation process management.
3.1 Typical working phases in drill plan design
First the parameters for a drilling pattern design
have to be defined. These parameters include
different measures (e.g. distances between separate
profiles versus the theoretical excavated profile, the
length of one round and the shape of round end),
charge table and also a table for specific charge.
The parameters and some basic dimensions of the
drill rig have to be determined for the drill plan
design software as well. It is also possible to use
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Figure 6. Tables showing details for charge and specific charge with some example explosives used in drill plan design.
existing tables for the parameters mentioned above,
if there is an exploitable drill plan.
Secondly, a theoretical excavation profile has
to be defined and a co-ordinate system has to be
placed to the drill plan. There are some standard
profiles in the program which the user can utilize.
Modifications to existing profiles can be made or a
totally new free-form profile can be drawn, if
needed. If the user has prepared a profile already in
the planning phase of the tunnel line, it can also be
copied and used in the drill plan design.
The next phase is to determine other profiles,
such as the start and lookout profile, minimum and
maximum tolerances for the excavation and also a
profile showing the allowed fracturing.
The determination as to the end positions of
drill holes will be placed is started from the lookout
profile and thereafter gradually moved towards the
center of the drill plan. The first step is to place so
called location master holes which are stationary
and their position will stay fixed. A typical place for
these location master holes is the corners and
turning points of the profile. The next step is to
define the blast technical class for each part
between two location masters. When the needed
parameters for charges and specific charging are
available the program will be able to position the
needed amount of holes between the location master
holes. After this, the basics for the burden
calculation and visualization of cracking exist.
Based on the burden calculation, the program also
defines the placement of the first aidrow. The
needed amount of aidrows (0 3) is placed by the
procedure described above.
The cut is designed and placed manually by the
user and finally some field elements can be
designed and placed, if needed. It is also possible to
copy the cut and field elements from an existing
drill plan, if applicable.
Determination of the depth of a hole is made
mainly in the previous phases but, if needed, the
depth of single holes may be changed. This feature
is very useful when determining v-cut holes, for
example. The user is able to review the drill plan in
a 3D, which helps to visualize the round.
The direction angle of holes is typically
defined first to the lookout profile and thereafter to
the aidrows and towards the center. The user is able
to use different procedures in defining the direction
angles.
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Planning of the drilling sequence defines how
many holes each boom has to drill and in which
order. By doing this, optimal drilling of a round can
be designed in order to utilize all booms effectively.
Also overlapping between booms and possible
crashes can be avoided.
The roll-out angle defines the angle of the roll-
out joint in which to drill the hole. This is needed to
be able to drill and place the boom effectively and
smoothly.
The order of detonation is an important part of
the excavation design even though this information
is not needed in the drilling rig. However the
software offers a possibility to plan the detonation
schedule. The information is used for instructing
charging and defining the amount of momentary
explosives.
Parameters bound to the hole type are set up in
the jumbo. By this feature, for example collaring of
a hole can be set longer for contour holes to achieve
straighter holes. Selectable hole types are contour,
bottom, cut, casing, injection and probe. Also a
reaming hole can be identified to the jumbo at this
stage.
When the design is ready, the program will go
through a certain check list to be certain that each
hole
is part of a drilling sequence of some boom
has a roll over angle defined
has a charge
is part of the detonating order and
has a hole type defined for the drilling.
The Sandvik iSURE also offers the possibility
to generate printable documents from the plans.
These documents can be directly used as official
documents. Still it has to be noticed that reports
related to explosives are created on the basis of the
explosive type defined in the charge table and
bottom and column charge related to corresponding
explosive type. Therefore the reports are only
theoretical.
A complete drill plan can be transferred to a
drilling jumbo through a memory stick.
The life cycle of a drilling pattern is usually
fairly long in practice. It is very important to be able
to edit a complete drilling pattern afterwards. This
way the pattern will be adjusted to suit current
circumstances and the result in excavation and in
costs can be optimized while the tunnel advances
and the rock conditions vary.
4. CONCLUSION
An accurate tunnel line requires accuracy both in
drilling and blasting. To be able to excavate an
accurate tunnel profile the general geology of the
area and the mechanical properties of the rock
should be known and the excavation should be
designed according to their challenges. A good
result usually requires many blasted rounds and
improvement of the drilling pattern should be
continued after every round.
The design of a drilling pattern starting from
the end of the round is a new and revolutionary way
of designing an economical drilling pattern
excavation wise. A substantial part of the design is
to find the needed specific charging values for each
section of the drilling pattern. Once these values are
found for a certain rock type, the optimization of the
drilling pattern and appliance to other drilling
patterns go smoothly.
Only seamless interaction of drilled pattern,
charged explosives and detonator delays can
provide optimum excavation results in terms of
round bottom and profile control, drilled meters,
powder factor, pull out rate, vibration control,
tunnel advance and costs. Therefore, an overall
approach is an absolute necessity for a tunneling
project when the focus is on excavation quality.
REFERENCES
1. Drill Plan design Orientation Instructions, Sandvik
Mining and Construction, 2008
2. Sandvik iSURE revolutionizes professional
tunneling, Press Release, Sandvik Mining and
Construction, 2007
3. Sandvik Underground Rock Excavation Software
iSURE, Training material, Sandvik Mining and
Construction, 2008
BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS OF THE AUTHOR
Juha Kukkonen graduated in Rock Engineering from the
Helsinki University of Technology in 2005. He worked as
a researcher in the Helsinki University of Technology till
the end of year 2005. From the beginning of 2006 he
joined Sandvik Mining and Construction Oy as an
Applications Engineer in the Quarry and Civil
Engineering sub segment. From 2007 he has been
working as an Applications Engineer in the Tunneling and
Underground Civil Engineering sub segment.