Breaking hard compact materials with a radial-axial splitter

Radial-axial splitter is a mechanical tool for non-explosive breaking and/or excavation of hard rocks, using a pre-drilled hole. A prototype has been built at Laval University (Quebec City, Canada) and subsequently tested in the laboratory and in the field. This paper gives an overview of the experimental work done up to date. Conditions and results of the testing are presented and discussed. Following the experimentation done, this technology has some capacities for use in situations where hard rock excavation should be performed without explosives. However, some problems encountered need to be overcome. More research is necessary to fully evaluate the potential of radial-axial splitting with regards to industrial applications.