Times and Location:
Tuesday 11:00 – 12:15 PM BE 108
Thursday 11:00-12:15 PM, 1:00 – 4:00 (only on lab days) PM BE 108
Instructor:
Dr. Vilem Petr: BB 213, (303) 273-3222, vpetr@mines.edu
Office hours: Tuesday 9:00 – 10:00 or by appointment ONLY
Teaching Assistant:
Eduardo Lozano Sanchez
BB 129, (303) 384-2070, jlozanos@mines.edu
Office hours: Wednesday 1:00 – 3:00 or by appointment
Course Website: http://axpro.mines.edu/education.html
Course Objectives
This course gives students in engineering and applied sciences the opportunity to examine and develop a fundamental knowledge including terminology and understanding of explosives science and engineering concepts. Student learning will be demonstrated by assignments, quizzes, and exams. Learning assistance will come in the form of multidisciplinary lectures complemented by expert lecturers from government, industry and the explosives engineering community.
Course Text
Primary Text: Explosives Engineering, Paul W. Cooper

Grading
Grades will be broken down based on the following table.
Midterm
Homework
Labs
Lab Presentation
Final
20%
10%
30%
10%
30%
Homework and Quizzes
There will be weekly homework assignments and quizzes throughout the semester.
Homework will usually be due one week from the date assigned.
Quizzes will be given on Thursday during the first ten minutes of class. Quizzes will cover the contents of the prior Tuesday’s class. Keys will be posted on Blackboard on
Thursday afternoons.
The following rules will be observed during homework:
1) Students may work together, but may not copy someone else’s work. If caught
copying, the student will receive a zero for the assignment. If caught again, the
student will fail the course.
2) All homework should be done on E2 paper
3) Ten percent (10%) will be deducted from the assignment grade for every day
the assignment is late.
4) Solutions should be boxed or clearly indicated.
Labs
This course has five labs: ERL Safety, Initiation Systems and Types of Explosives, VOD
Measurements Using Plates/Probes, Ground Vibration/Air Overpressure Environmental
Effects, and ANFO Physical Properties. Lab dates are shown in the attached calendar.
You must attend ERL Safety Training; there is no opportunity for make-up ! The class will be split into groups of 3 for the final 4 labs. There will a designated group leader,
(responsible for communicating with the blaster-in-charge during the exercise, and ensuring proper procedure is followed), a recorder (responsible for recording information), and tool supplier (responsible for setting-up, and keeping track of tools).
Each group will be responsible for a 2-4 page technical paper on each lab, due at the start of the following lab period. Each group will also be presenting on one of the assigned labs in detail. All labs will be held at the Explosives Research Laboratory (ERL) in Idaho
Springs. For safety purposes, please communicate only in English during the laboratories.

Midterm Exam (October 22)
The midterm will be a one hour-long exam that will cover all lecture topics to that point and will be structured like the homework assignments and quizzes. The exam will be closed notes and textbook.
Final Exam (December 3)
The final will be a comprehensive exam over the entire semester. Questions will be similar to those presented on homework, quizzes, and labs.
Lab Presentations (December 3/8)
Each lab group will be responsible for a detailed presentation on one of the assigned labs.
Each group will be assigned a different lab. Detailed instructions for this presentation will be distributed after the midterm.
Guest Speakers
There will be several guest speakers over the course of the semester. Attendance at these talks is required. Speakers and dates are listed in the attached calendar and will be announced in class.
Field Trip (TBD)
There may be a field trip to Dyno Nobel’s ammonium nitrate plant in Cheyenne, WY.
Details will be announced in class.
Attendance
Regular class attendance and timely completion of assignments is required. 1 class may be missed with no penalty. After that, each unexcused absence will result in a 10% decrease in your final grade. Reading assignments should be completed before each class.
EPICS -251 Credit
Successful completion of MNGN-333 can be used to satisfy the EPICS II credit requirement at CSM.
ERL Dress Code
The following dress code is MANDATORY when working in the Explosives Research
Laboratory in Idaho Springs. Violators of any ERL rule will be immediately expelled and not allowed to re-enter this semester.
- Jeans with no holes, tears, etc.
- Steel-toed shoes
- Shirt long enough to cover your back when you kneel down
- Appropriate additional clothing at the site due to weather conditions

9/3
9/8
9/10
9/15
9/17
9/22
9/24
9/29
10/1
10/6
10/8
10/13
10/15
10/20
10/22
10/27
10/29
11/3
11/5
11/10
11/12
11/17
11/19
11/24
11/26
12/1
12/3
12/8
We will provide all other required safety equipment.
Dr. Petr must approve pictures or movies taken from any activities at the test site.
If you have a relevant medical condition, please let Dr. Petr know.
Date
8/25 & 8/27
Topic
NO CLASS: AXPRO Training Course
9/1 Introductions and Syllabus
Explosives Safety and Applications
Classifications of Explosives
Thermodynamics and Chemistry
Introduction Into Chemistry of Explosives
Detonation Physics/ Shockwave Physics
Guest Lecture: TBA
Initiation Systems
NO CLASS: AXPRO Training
NO CLASS: AXPRO Training
Guest Lecture: TBA
LAB: ERL Safety Training (MUST ATTEND – OFFERED ONCE)
Midterm Review
LAB: Initiation Systems and Types of Explosives
NO CLASS: Fall Break
Midterm Exam
Guest Lecture: TBA
VOD Measurement Techniques
Overpressure Theory and Calculations
LAB: VOD Measurement Using Plates/Probes
Ground Vibration Theory and Calculations
LAB: Ground Vibration/Air Overpressure Environmental Effects
Physical Properties of Explosives
LAB: ANFO Physical Properties
Explosive Welding
NO CLASS: Thanksgiving Break
Review for Final Exam
Final Exam/Lab Presentation (Optional)
Lab presentations; Last day of class