Vibration and stresses induced in the rock due to the splitting of dimension stones’ exploitation

Detonating cord splitting is a typical production technique for dimension stone blocks in granite and gneiss quarries, where the blasts are usually designed based on local experience. The paper relates to a vibrometric test campaign in a group of gneiss quarries using accelerometric measurements near the splitting holes rows into primary cuts and recutting operations. The purpose of the test campaign was to detect (or to exclude) the possibility of impairment of the commercial stone blocks produced by this technique, to check the validity of the blast design criteria adopted, and to obtain experimental data for predicting the friction conditions at the boundaries of the blocks and their expected displacement. The results highlight the limited damage of the commercial blocks obtained, confirming the validity of the detonating cord as a functional technique to split and slightly move the blocks from their original position. The vibrations due to the blast are also minimal, even at a short distance, confirming that the technique is precautionary and respects the quality of the exploited blocks.