Theory of electrothermal-mechanical rock breaking fundamental characteristics of the heating of a semiinfinite medium when an electromagnetic wave is normally incident upon it

Abstract

UDC 622,01,013The electrothermal-mechanical (ETM) method of breaking up frozen rocks has recently begun to be used in the mining industry. It is based on the weakening of frozen rocks, without change in their state of aggregation [1], under the influence of rapidly-varying fields. In principle it requires very little energy. The essence of the method is that a directed electromagnetic field weakens the frozen rock just as far as is necessary for working it efficiently by mechanical means. It has been found [2] that the best breaking effect is obtained by the simultaneous action of electromagnetic and mechanical energy on the frozen rock.