Analysis of rock fragmentation using digital image processing

Abstract

The success of rock fragmentation due to blasting depends on many variables, such as rock properties, in-situ fracturing, and blast design. Traditionally, the size distribution of fragmented rock particles has been determined through screen sieving. Modern techniques using video images and computer image processing techniques have the potential for analyzing rock fragmentation accurately and efficiently. A procedure has been developed for analyzing rock fragmentation which uses a high-resolution video camera for capturing images in the field, and specialized computer algorithms for processing these images. First of all, computer algorithms have been developed to delineate the individual rock fragments in the images. Secondly, a set of experiments have been conducted in the laboratory, in which the two dimensional information from the images is correlated with sieve results. Based on these experiments, a set of probabilities have been determined for correctly determining the size and volume of rock fragments from two dimensional images. Using these probabilities along with the particle delineation algorithm, the size distribution for the rock fragments is calculated. The computer algorithms can also combine information from many images to take into account sampling and images taken at different scales.