Comparative analysis of the developed and traditional stemmings in terms of resistance to explosion products

Natalia Remez¹, Oksana Tverda¹, Kostiantyn Tkachuk¹, Oleksandr Horiev¹, Olena Kofanova¹, Sergii Kalchuk², Mariana Lozynska³

¹National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”, Kyiv, Ukraine

²Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University, Zhytomyr, Ukraine

³Dnipro University of Technology, Dnipro, Ukraine

Min. miner. depos. 2026, 20(2):46-53

https://doi.org/10.33271/mining20.02.046

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ABSTRACT

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of non-Newtonian water-clay suspensions as blast-hole stemming materials and to compare their performance with that of conventional granular materials.

Methods. A mathematical modeling method was applied to develop a mathematical model for calculating the ejection velocity stemming from a borehole during an explosion and rock fragmentation. The model is based on solutions to gas dynamics equations (Riemann) and differential equations of stemming motion under the pressure of detonation products.

Findings. An inverse relationship was observed between the density of the stemming material and its ejection velocity: the lower the density, the higher the ejection velocity. The most significant ejection delay (lowest velocity) is provided by stemming made of granite screenings (highest density). The developed stemming based on a high-density suspension (stemming 2, ρ ≈ 1846 kg/m3) demonstrates better delay results compared to sand, whereas the less dense suspension (stemming 1) is ejected faster. For all investigated explosives, the application of the developed clay-suspension-based stemming ensures a confinement time for detonation products comparable to that of traditional materials.

Originality. An original mathematical model has been developed that describes the process of inert stemming ejection, considers gas-dynamic processes in the borehole, and allows evaluating its efficiency using the ejection velocity criterion.

Practical implications. The developed non-Newtonian clay suspension fills irregularities in the borehole better than loose materials and solidifies under pressure, ensuring reliable sealing. Moreover, its application enhances environmental safety by suppressing dust and neutralizing harmful gases.

Keywords: borehole; explosion; explosive; non-Newtonian fluid; rock; stemming; stemming ejection velocity

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