No Explosives N on explosive excavation in urban and environmentally sensitive areas has long been a goal of the construction and mining industries. The IKC is used as an attachment on any 2,000 to 5,000 ft-lb class hydraulic breaker for a variety of mechanical rock excavation operations. I mpact Breakers have revolutionized the excavation of large and irregular openings in soft rock. Single point impact mining of a rock face will shape the tunnel into a cone. Single tool blows are simply deflected from the inside of the steep cone.
All forward progress is stalled.
You can then mine a full size opening of any shape, without fear of having to excavate the inside of a steep angle rock cone. That technique permits the use of some fluid, such as air or water, to flush the cuttings from the bottom of the hole. Larger openings in rock mean larger rock cuttings. Optimum sized rock cuttings mean greater efficiency and easier muck handling for the rock excavation operation. The IKC employs impact where the TBM applies thrust to do the same job.