Influence of explosive charge temperature on the velocity of detonation of ANFO explosives

ANFO is the most common explosive for civil use in the fields of mining and civil engineering. The effect of the explosive and the quantity of energy released by the detonation depends on the velocity of detonation. The influence on explosive performance of a large number of physical aspects of ANFO explosives and the conditions of initiation during blasting operations are mostly known, but the influence of the charge temperature on the velocity of detonation is not known. In order to quantify that influence, research on laboratory samples of smaller diameter and field samples of larger diameter, detonated in steel pipes, has been carried out. By processing and analysing the measured results the influence of charge temperature on the velocity of detonation of ANFO explosive has been determined.