Seismograph Evolution and Effects on Demolition and Blasting Operations Safety–Insights from the ISEE Conference

As we shared in our last blog, we attended several sessions during the International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE)’s 51st Annual Conference on Explosives & Blasting Technique. Held in Cherokee, NC. The conference brings together professionals from around the world in the largest gathering focused on explosives engineering. 

The hour-long session was hosted by the Emerging Professionals board titled “Untold Stories “Industry Highlights and History”. The speakers, Randy Wheeler of White Industrial Seismology and Dr. Catherine Aimone-Martin, took the audience on a historical decades-long journey through the world of seismograph technology. If you’re a seismologist, geotechnical engineer, or civil engineer, you know how crucial these tools are for our field, so we wanted to share some key takeaways and how this topic directly relates to our work in construction. 

Notably, Dr. Aimone-Martin was at the time Northwestern University’s first P.h.D. in the field of seismology, and since then has made significant contributions to blast monitoring technology and explosive performance analysis. Her work with the Bureau of Mines and various industry partners has helped advance seismograph capabilities and applications.

The Evolution of Seismographs: from Analog to Digital Systems

Wheeler and Dr. Aimone-Martin highlighted how seismographs have come a long way since the 1920s. They highlighted how the technology began with basic devices like the falling pin seismograph then followed by the elite seismograph in the 1940s, to Dallas Instruments becoming a  major player in the 70s, and eventually to digital systems in the 80s which still impact the instruments we use today. 

Interestingly, Wheeler detailed the evolution from early days of basic peak meters to tape recording units like the BT-4, which featured four channels on cassette tapes. At the time, a significant innovation was Dallas Instruments’ self-triggering seismograph with preset trigger levels.

The upgrades over the decades have fundamentally changed the way we monitor vibrations and analyze data. For environmental vibration monitoring solution providers and project owners today, these innovations translate to faster, more accurate measurements, which is a game changer when it comes to preventing damage to nearby structures during demolition. 

Impact on Seismograph Users in Geotechnical and Blast Engineering

For those attending the ISEE conference and working in branches of engineering that involve ground and structural monitoring, understanding the history and advancements in seismograph technology can really enhance depth of practice. As we all know, construction often involves working near existing buildings and infrastructure, especially in urban settings. Keeping vibrations in check is crucial to prevent structural damage. 

The session pointed out that the leap to digital technology means we can analyze vibration data in real-time—down from days to just seconds. In fact, Wheeler emphasized that digital technology dramatically reduced analysis time while maintaining the same fundamental measurements. The shift has enabled the development of performance standards that helped standardize instrument quality across the industry.

That’s huge for making quick safety decisions while engineers are in the field. The self-triggering seismographs mentioned by Wheeler allow engineers to set specific threshold levels, giving them the ability to respond immediately if vibration levels get too high. 

During the session, Dr. Aimone-Martin described how the development of emulsions and new initiator technologies created demands for more sophisticated monitoring capabilities. This led to improvements in sensor technology, including higher pressure sensors and increased sampling rates. Plus, both she and Wheeler discussed how integration of remote access and modem capabilities transformed data accessibility, and that real-time data access has become crucial for efficient blast operation management.

Both experts agreed that while core measurement technology may remain similar in terms of what is being measured and there might be minimal changes in hardware (for example, a geophone will still function as a geophone, and overpressure microphones continue to be used alongside digital seismographs rather than analog ones), the future lies in improved data accessibility and instant access to it. This improvement is crucial for project owners and end users, such as blasters who depend on the data to determine they can proceed with the next blast. They highlighted the significance of data turnaround for blast operators, real-time analysis capabilities, and the potential for instant access to monitoring data from anywhere in the world. 

So, What Does the Future of Blast Seismographs Hold? 

The discussion made it clear that while the basic tech may stay the same, enhancing data accessibility and analysis is going to be key, which makes innovations in IIoT for these market segments like Inzwa Cloud is important. Having remote access to this data through cloud-based solutions that can integrate and consolidate different measurements means engineers can continuously monitor projects without any hiccups. 

Imagine being able to monitor vibration data from multiple sites simultaneously, allowing project stakeholders to collaborate more effectively and act quickly if issues arise. This kind of innovation will be vital as our projects become more complicated and as we continue to work in earthquake-prone areas. 

Final Thoughts on this ISEE Session

Our biggest takeaway from this session is that understanding the history and evolution of seismograph technology is essential for all of us—whether you study or mitigate risk due to earthquakes, design foundations, or build infrastructure. These advancements not only help engineers and project managers do their jobs better but also play a significant role in ensuring the safety of the structures we create. With the right tools at our disposal, we can safeguard against potential damage and maintain the integrity of our projects. It’s an exciting time to be in the field, and we look forward to next year’s ISEE conference to see how these innovations continue to shape our work going forward.