CONTRIBUTION TO THE 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES INFRASTRUCTURES PROVIDING ADVANCED BLAST CONSULTING SERVICES

4th International Scientific Conference - SGEM2004, www.sgem.org, SGEM2004 Conference Proceedings/ ISBN: 954-918181-2, June 14-18, 2004, 193- 204pp

ABSTRACT

This paper deals with a variety of projects and parameters that we had to deal with as we
participated – contributed to the 2004 Olympic Games infrastructures providing blast
consulting services. The most in number and also most characteristic examples of specific
management, that we were required to deal with and implement, were in the wider area of
Athens (Attica), which is the main City of the Olympics.
Many of the projects had to be accomplished through blasting, though there were
archaeological finds and structures (some of which were even older than 2000 years),
road junctions and traffic in operation, settlements, industrial installations, fuel and
natural gas networks or other urban area facilities.
Consequently, we had to pay particular attention and care to the damage risks that
might occur. Also, we had to find ways of how to prevent them from happening; we had to
care for the compliance with strict specifications and regulations, the conventional and
contractual obligations, the vibration monitoring and PPV limits, the proper blast design
and materialization of blastings, the sellection and implementation of specific blasting
techniques, the staff training and preparation, etc.
The proper and reliable blast consulting and engineering services was a basic
condition for on-time preparation of 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES infrastructure
projects.
The facts, data and records concerning the above are presented through the
experience we obtained while providing blast consulting and engineering services.