EBS Integer Timing Change

SHOTPlus™ Variant:

Surface

Version:

>6.19.6 and above

KBA Summary:

This article addresses the change to the Electronic Blasting System (EBS) initiation times that are assigned to detonators within the SHOTPlus™ application when using the advanced EBS timing tools and the impact this change has on calculations within the application.

Introduction

Historically SHOTPlus™ used floating point numbers (FPN) to precisely allocate detonator delay times for the analysis of blast outcomes. FPN were applied to EBS detonators when using the Time Line, Opening Point and Adjust EBS Interval timing tools. However, the application of FPN differs from field applications, which use integer values for detonator delay times. SHOTPlus™ will now use integer values for detonator delay times.

Motivation for Change

Once exported from SHOTPlus™ to an LFG file FPN were rounded to an integer values. This causes a mismatch between what was shown in calculation tools in SHOTPlus™ and what was implemented in the field. Additionally, when actual times were imported into SHOTPlus™ they were in the integer format, this caused variation in the time envelope vibration predictions depicted in Figures 1 to 4.

Legacy Behaviour

Figure 1. SHOTPlus™ applies FPN to detonator timings prior to export.

Figure 2. Actuals after detonator timings imported with integers

New Behaviour

Figure 3. SHOTPlus™ applies integers to detonator timings prior to export.

Figure 4. Actuals after detonator timings imported with integers.

SHOTPlus™ Legacy Behaviour

SHOTPlus™  versions prior to 6.19.6 display integer initiation times in the user interface (as shown in Figure 5). However, the calculations used to produce the Time Envelope, Burden Relief, First Movement and Angle of Initiation (AoI); employ FPN to generate the visualisations.

Figure 5. SHOTPlus™ Legacy Workflow example.

New Behaviour

From SHOTPlus™ version 6.19.6 and onwards the application will no longer employ FPN, instead aligning the SHOTPlus™ application with EBS hardware (which is outlined in Figure 6). This change will not impact user workflow, including the import of actual times, or fragmentation calculations.

Figure 6. SHOTPlus™ New workflow example.

Affected Tools:

• EBS timeline tool;
• EBS opening point tool; and
• Adjust intervals.

Possible changes visible to the user in:

• Time envelope will be the most notable visible change, the PPV will not change with the EBS import (as depicted in Figure 1-4.), and can show over lap due to the reduction in the space between timing windows as the comparison in Figure 7 shows.
• Burden relief;
• First movement; and
• AoI.

Figure 7. Comparison of the Time Envelope pre and post SHOTPlus™ version 6.19.6 update.

Summary