The explosives used for rock excavations induce compression and tension waves, these agents cause the rupture of the medium. To estimate fracturing, an analysis based on the discrete element method (DEM) is presented. Using a set of spheres that are bonded together by a cemented contact model, a rocky environment is represented. In the simulation, the blasting is applied by particle expansion algorithm.
A type of simulation considers a detonation point with different stress states in situ. The second type uses drilling patterns under three different condition of contour boreholes. The contact rupture patterns between particles show the fracturing of the rock mass, which al-lowed identifying the areas damaged by the blasting. The results of drilling patterns simulations with different arrangements in the contour blastholes allow determining which conditions favor the perimeter of an underground excavation. In the case of the modeled rock, a better contour was obtained with the arrangement of more blastholes.
