Influence of the Initiation Energy on theVelocity of Detonation of ANFO Explosive

ANFO explosives have been widely used for blasting operations in mining and civil engineering. From a scientific point of view, ANFO is interesting due to its non-ideal detonation. There are numerous factors that affect the velocity of detonation of ANFO explosives. This paper presents measured velocities of detonation of ANFO explosives initiated by various initiation methods and initiation energies. ANFO explosives were tested in steel pipes, and detonators and boosters of different masses and initiation energies were used for initiation. The initiation energy of a detonator was determined using the underwater initiation capability test. The influence of the equivalent shock energy and the equivalent bubble energy on the velocity of detonation of ANFO was also determined. These measured results contribute to a better understanding of the non-ideal detonation of ANFO explosives.