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Study on the failure effect of gas tunnel blasting considering the influence of delay time and its engineering application
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  • Published: 22 March 2026

Study on the failure effect of gas tunnel blasting considering the influence of delay time and its engineering application

  • Yong Sun1,
  • Zhong-hai Ji1,
  • Cheng-lin Tian1,
  • Xun Luo3,
  • Qing-biao Wang1,5,
  • Zhong-lei Liu2 &
  • …
  • Zhong-hui Li4 

Scientific Reports , Article number:  (2026) Cite this article

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We are providing an unedited version of this manuscript to give early access to its findings. Before final publication, the manuscript will undergo further editing. Please note there may be errors present which affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.

Subjects

  • Engineering
  • Natural hazards
  • Solid Earth sciences

Abstract

The reasonable delay time setting is the key factor affecting the blasting effect of gas tunnel. To this end, we have introduced a digital electronic detonator that can be freely set on site. Through theoretical analysis, we obtained the time required for the rock mass to be completely thrown out in the cutting area, revealed the law of rock mass movement by numerical simulation, and further proposed a blasting effect evaluation method and carried out engineering application. The results show that the optimal initiation time of the cutting area is 40ms, and the migration law of rock mass can be divided into three stages: crack propagation, volume increase and rock mass ejection. According to the optimal delay time in the cutting area, the optimal initiation time between each row of blast holes was determined to be 0ms, 40ms, 60ms, 80ms, 100ms, and 120ms, respectively, and a blasting effect evaluation system including blasting effect index K and circumferential flatness σ was established. Finally, a field test was carried out in a plateau gas tunnel. The statistical characteristics of the blasting effect show that after optimizing the delay time, the half-hole rate after blasting is above 90%, the linear average over-excavation is within 20 cm, and the circumferential flatness σ is 2.9 cm. The contour control accuracy is high, and the particle size distribution of the blasting pile is reasonable, which provides a reference for similar engineering blasting.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author T.C.L.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Shandong postdoctoral innovation project (SDCX-ZG-202400203), Supported by the Qingdao Postdoctoral Project (QDBSH20230202074), Supported by the Chengdu City Science and Technology Project (NCTI-STR-ZZLX-CD-0013).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Resources, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Tai’an, 271019, China

    Yong Sun, Zhong-hai Ji, Cheng-lin Tian & Qing-biao Wang

  2. Railway 14th Bureau Group Co., Ltd., Jinan, 250000, China

    Zhong-lei Liu

  3. Sichuan–Tibet Railway Co., Ltd, Chengdu, 6100414, China

    Xun Luo

  4. China Railway 14 Bureau Group Fourth Engineering Co., Ltd, Jinan, 250000, China

    Zhong-hui Li

  5. School of Civil Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan, 250101, China

    Qing-biao Wang

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Contributions

S.Y.: Methodology, Data curation, Experimental, Supervision. J.Z.H.: Writing original draft, Experimental, Editing. T.C.L.: Writing-review, Data Curation, Validation. L.X.: Supervision, W.Q.B.: Supervision, L.Z.L.: Validation, L.Z.H.: Validation.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cheng-lin Tian.

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Sun, Y., Ji, Zh., Tian, Cl. et al. Study on the failure effect of gas tunnel blasting considering the influence of delay time and its engineering application. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45235-4

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  • Received: 04 February 2026

  • Accepted: 17 March 2026

  • Published: 22 March 2026

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45235-4

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Keywords

  • High gas tunnel
  • Blasting delay time
  • Theoretical model
  • Numerical simulation
  • Evaluation of blasting effect
  • Engineering application
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