By clarifying the problems constraining the development of drilling and blasting construction technology—including complex processes, outdated equipment, high labor demands, and information fragmentation—the foundation was laid for building a minimally manned or unmanned intelligent rock roadways(tunneling)excavation system. Based on this, a comprehensive review was conducted on the current development status of intelligent drilling and blasting technologies and equipment for rock roadways(tunneling). Firstly, the basic concept and essence of intelligent drilling and blasting were elaborated, defined as an integrated blasting technology that utilizes advanced technologies such as AI to achieve deep self-perception of information, intelligent self-optimized decision-making, and precise self-executed control. Subsequently, the research status of intelligent tunnel drilling and blasting technology was systematically summarized, with key advancements and shortcomings covered in: blasting materials, transparent geological technology, intelligent blasting parameter design, intelligent drilling and blasting construction technologies/equipment, precision blasting technology, and blasting quality management. Finally, future trends in intelligent drilling and blasting technology and equipment for rock roadways(tunneling)were outlined, with proposals for establishing a full life-cycle intelligent excavation system centered on digitalization, automation, and intelligence, aimed at achieving safe, efficient, and green underground engineering construction.

To enhance rock fracture at the bottom of the cut cavity, a three-dimensional finite element model of parallel cutting blasting with small-diameter empty holes was developed. The effects of delay time and bottom charge on rock damage area and distribution characteristics during parallel cutting blasting were quantitatively analyzed. The results showed that in parallel cutting blasting with small-diameter empty holes,both the rock damage range and the fractal dimension of blast-induced fractures decreased nonlinearly with increasing distance from the free surface, resulting in poor fracturing effect at the cavity bottom. Short delay initiation was found to enhance rock fracturing at the middle and bottom parts of the rock cavity, with the damage area and fractal dimension of rock at bottom first increased and then decreased as the delay time increased from 0 ms to 3 ms, reaching optimal performance at 1 ms. The empty hole depth was extended and a bottom charge was added in the over-drilled section of the empty holes to further intensify fracturing at the cavity bottom. On this basis, field tests were conducted, and a significant improvement in drift excavation performance was demonstrated, with the average borehole utilization rate increasing by 9.1%.

Traditional blasting design methods relying on empirical approaches often suffer from low efficiency and inadequate precision. To overcome these limitations, an automated blasting design method was developed based on theoretical calculations and mathematical modeling. By developing algorithms for automatic layout of cut holes, auxiliary holes, and perimeter holes, coupled with optimization of charge structures and initiation sequences, the proposed method achieved automated blasting scheme generation, diagram output, and 3D visualization. The proposed method was validated in a practical rock shaft engineering project, where excellent wall smoothness and rock fragmentation effects were achieved. The results confirmed the feasibility of the automated blasting design, providing a scientific and efficient technical solution for blasting design challenges.

As a typical unfavorable geological feature commonly encountered in tunnel construction, weak interlayers significantly affected the propagation characteristics of blasting-induced stress waves, thereby posing adverse impacts on construction safety and engineering quality. To accurately simulate blast stress wave propagation in tunnels containing weak interlayers, blasting-induced dynamic responses were modeled. A single-hole blasting numerical model was established using a continuous-discontinuous method—the Johnson-Holmquist-Beissel model within the four-dimensional lattice spring model(JHB-4D-LSM). The effects of blast-interlayer distance, interlayer thickness, and dip angles were investigated. Tunnel blasting stress wave propagation simulated by the JHB-4D-LSM model aligned well with prior LS-DYNA studies, validating the method's effectiveness. Localized stress concentration and increased peak stress were observed in the incident-wave-facing rock mass adjacent to the weak interlayer, while the peak stress decreased on the opposite side. This indicated the weak interlayer's dual role: enhancing stress on the incident-wave-facing side and attenuating stress on the transmission side. This effect intensified with greater interlayer thickness, showing a positive correlation. As the distance between the weak interlayer and the blast-hole decreased, stress concentration on the incident-wave-facing side became increasingly significant. When this distance exceeded 30 cm, the interlayer's influence on stress wave propagation was notably reduced. The dip angle's effect on stress wave propagation was governed primarily by the vertical distance between the blast-hole and the interlayer. Smaller vertical distances resulted in higher peak stresses, indicating a more pronounced stress wave impedance effect. This study provided valuable guidance for ensuring construction safety and offered a theoretical basis for optimizing blasting vibration control technology in tunnel engineering.

To address the deficiencies in the theoretical analysis of confining pressure coupling effects in liquid oxygen blasting technology, field experiments and LS-DYNA numerical simulations were combined. A hydraulic true triaxial loading system was employed to systematically investigate the damage evolution patterns of red sandstone specimens. The results demonstrated that blasting effectiveness was significantly influenced by confining pressure. Under unconfined conditions, cracks were elongated and dispersed. As confining pressure was increased, crack propagation was suppressed, blasting energy was concentrated, crack directions were clarified, and crack quantities were reduced. The funnel effect at specimen bases was affected by multiple factors, and geometric parameters were altered by confining pressure. Strain peaks were correlated with failure phenomena, and strain growth was inhibited under elevated confining pressures. Through numerical simulations, stress and damage evolution in rock masses were further revealed. Confining pressure was shown to suppress damage propagation, reduce peak energy concentrations around boreholes, and slow energy attenuation. This study elucidated the critical regulatory role of confining pressure on damage-fracture characteristics in liquid oxygen blasting, providing theoretical foundations and practical references for blasting in deep high-stress rock masses.

In response to the serious problem of over- and under-excavation in the drilling and blasting excavation of jointed rock masses, the HJC(Holmquist-Johnson-Cook)model combined with compressive-shear and tensile-shear failure criteria was employed to analyze stress field distributions near profile blast holes and crack evolution paths under different joint characteristics. The results indicated that crack propagation was significantly affected by the dip angle, thickness, and strength of the joints.The most severe over- and under-excavation occurred when the angle between the joint and blast hole axis was 45°, forming a distinct “Z”-shaped profile. The weaker the joint strength was, the stronger the barrier effect on the explosion stress wave and the tensile failure effects would be. The same principle applies to the width of joints. Integrating the influence mechanism and practical effects of joint characteristics on contour formation, this research proposed a “blank hole induction” layout scheme for smooth blasting holes and optimized detonation sequencing measures. The research enriched the theory of directional fracture and contour forming in smooth blasting.

The blasting characteristics of eccentric charging structures were investigated to achieve full utilization and precise control of explosive energy. The borehole wall pressures and rock dynamic responses during eccentric charge blasting under various uncoupling coefficients were analyzed using ANSYS/LS-DYNA numerical simulation software. Three-dimensional numerical models were established to investigate borehole wall pressures, rock damage, and changes in seismic wave energy flux. Uncoupling coefficients of K=2.0, 1.56, and 1.25 under eccentric charging conditions, along with K=1.0 under concentric charging conditions, were examined. Results showed that under eccentric charge conditions, the difference between peak borehole wall pressures on the coupled and uncoupled sides of the charged section was increased with the uncoupling coefficient. The peak pressure on the coupled side of the borehole wall was measured to be approximately 4 to 11 times greater than that on the uncoupled side. The borehole wall pressures on the coupled and uncoupled sides of the uncharged section located farther from the charged section were observed to remain largely unaffected by the eccentric charging structure. While the pressure difference between the coupled and uncoupled sides at the same location was found to be minimal, the borehole wall pressure was observed to continue decreasing with increasing uncoupling coefficients. The eccentric effect was observed to manifest in the damage zones of both charged and uncharged sections within the eccentric charging structure. The fissure zone volume was measured to be 8 to 15 times greater than that of the crushed zone. A decrease in both the fissure zone volume and the peak seismic wave energy flux was observed with increasing uncoupling coefficients.

To improve drainage efficiency and ensure tunnel operational safety, an SPH-FEM(smoothed particle hydrodynamics-finite element method)coupled computational model was established based on the construction of the Qinghai Saierlong No. 2 Tunnel. A comparison was made of rock damage evolution, blast-induced cavity dimensions, and rock ejection effects under different borehole arrangements(vertical drilling and wedge-shaped drilling). The research results showed that the overall extent of rock damage was generally consistent under both drilling patterns. However, wedge-shaped drilling was more prone to overbreak or underbreak at the trench bottom, which was unfavorable for blast-induced contour control. Although the blast contours were similar under both configurations, wedge-shaped drilling resulted in a larger cavity volume and a wider cavity opening compared to vertical drilling. The wedge-shaped drilling layout was optimized considering contour quality and particle ejection efficiency. This optimization reduced the particle ejection velocity while maintaining satisfactory contour formation and particle ejection quantity, thereby providing a reference for the efficient construction of deep-buried drainage ditches.

To address severe overbreak and excessive rock mass damage induced by blasting excavation at tunnel arch foot regions, a comprehensive investigation was conducted using the arch-cover method employed in Qingdao Metro Line 6 station as the engineering case study. Numerical simulations were integrated with field experiments to optimize blast hole layout and charging parameters for arch foot excavation. The propagation and coalescence mechanisms of blast-induced fractures in the arch foot rock mass were systematically examined, along with detailed characterization of damage characteristics. A novel nested long-short hole arrangement technique was subsequently developed. The results indicated that the implementation of long-short hole blasting generated dense, interconnected fracture networks around the blast holes, which effectively facilitated the formation of the excavation contour. Compared to conventional perimeter hole arrangements, a significant reduction in damage zones was observed on both the free surface side and the deep surrounding rock side, with maximum decreases of 19.4% and 29.2%, respectively. Upon application of the optimized arch foot blasting parameters, a smooth excavation profile was achieved, characterized by minimized overbreak and eliminated underbreak. Furthermore, the maximum overbreak value was reduced by 59.4% compared to pre-optimized blasting, leading to substantial improvements in both blasting efficiency and excavation quality.