Hunter Valley Community

A resource company in the Hunter Valley received approval to extend its open cut and underground mines, which would involve blasting near a rural community. Acumen Engineers was engaged before blasting commenced to document the structural condition of around 25 private residences within a defined radius of the mine that may be affected by ground vibrations or blast overpressure.

Working with our client, we arranged inspections with the owners of each property and then travelled from Sydney to the Hunter Valley for three days of intensive surveying. During our inspections, we documented the condition of houses, sheds, water and septic tanks and other structures and identified existing defects. We photographed all significant items (whether they had defects or not), including door frames, cornices, rendering, tiling, fireplaces, mantelpieces and ornate arches, facades, fences and walling. At one residence, a historic home, our report included over 500 photographs of significant structural elements. Our extensive written and photographic records set clear, impartial benchmarks to later assess any damage that could occur as a result of blasting.

At another residence, we undertook a comparative engineering survey, assessing current conditions against an earlier report prepared by another consultant. Our engineer looked for changes to earlier-reported damage, as well as evidence of new damage. He also analysed recent blast data for the area against consent requirements and relevant Australian and British standards. He assessed whether the damage was caused by blasting, instead finding it was related to ongoing wear and tear and inherent moisture effects.

Photograph by Anthony Fowler