Electron Beam Fracturing of Hard Rock

Abstract

An experimental and analytical investigation has been conducted to determine if a moving pressure source can drive a fracture parallel to a free surface. The research was conducted to determine the technical feasibility of a hard-rock mining technique using a high-energy electron beam to create the moving pressure source. By controlling the electron beam sweep orientation and sweep velocity across a rock face, a minimum-energy rock-breaking procedure can be envisioned. The two-dimensional analytical technique used could not simulate fracture branching phenomena. However, the analysis of the dynamic stress field produced by a programmed straight fracture did indicate that branch fractures would occur in the region of the pressure source.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1972
Accession Number
AD0892628

Entities

People

  • Allan R. Sanford
  • Merle E. Hanson
  • Ronald J. Shaffer

Organizations

  • New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Boundaries
  • Detonating Cord
  • Detonation Waves
  • Detonations
  • Elastic Waves
  • Electron Beams
  • Explosives
  • Geometry
  • High Energy
  • Mechanics
  • New Mexico
  • Simulations
  • Tensile Stress
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Two Dimensional
  • Waves

Readers

  • Control Systems Engineering.
  • Materials Science (Mechanical Engineering).
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Microelectronics