Risk Analysis
Structural surveys
Environmental Assessments
Blast Engineering
Vibration Isolation
Geology and Rock Engineering
Construction Management
Neighbors and Third Parties

Risk Analysis

In civil engineering, construction and mining projects, risks are everywhere. Unless identified, assessed and mitigated, they can result in personal injury or death, damage to property and ruination of the environment. In addition to human and ecological tragedy, they can expose project principals and contractors to huge costs in the form of damages and compensation, not to mention loss of reputation.

Forewarned is forearmed
While eliminating risk completely may not be realistic, Nitro Consult can do much to ensure that it is minimized. We achieve this through comprehensive risk analyses in which we expose weaknesses, recommend precautions, calculate control measures and propose appropriate restrictions. The aim is to facilitate maximal project advancement through best safety and health, optimal safeguarding of the environment, full protection of property and high productivity. Even in the most difficult conditions, a risk analysis by Nitro Consult can define safe limits so that heavy equipment and the power and economy of explosives can be used to achieve construction and mining goals optimally and with confidence.

Wide-ranging expertise and experience
When blasting is going to take place near people, property, facilities and sensitive equipment, it is vital to know how the rock will break, how it will fly and what will be the effects of the airblast. Similarly, we must know how the ground will transmit the blast vibrations and noise into nearby buildings, tunnels and other facilities. This requires in-depth knowledge, not only of the rock formation but also of the designs of the many different structures in urban environments, especially their foundations. We must know what level of disturbance they can withstand without fear of damage, and how the blasts will affect sensitive activities such as scientific research, delicate operations, data transmission and traffic. We must also know how earthmoving, blasting and excavation will affect the groundwater table. With a complete range of skills and decades of experience, Nitro Consult offers to conduct the necessary surveys, identify the risks, determine safe limits and dimension the blasts to strike the right balance between rate of advance, efficiency, disturbance and project duration.

From earthworks to underground construction
We carry out risk analyses not only for blasting and rock excavation but also for other construction activities such as piling, earthmoving and compacting. Based on the recommendations of the relevant Swedish standards, a Nitro Consult risk analysis includes, for example: • Inventorying and classifying all buildings, plant, installations and equipment within the risk zone • Identifying sensitive equipment and proposing vibration-isolation solutions • Listing disruption-sensitive activities and preparing for liaison and coordination • Defining the limits on flyrock and recommending the limit values for ground vibrations, airblast, construction noise and structure-borne sound • Determining the best measuring points for vibration control and proposing optimal measuring, monitoring and reporting solutions • Defining the scopes of structural surveys, pressure testing, water sampling etc.

Test blasting to reveal secrets early
Nitro Consult also offers test blasting services, which can be a valuable and cost-effective way to find and analyse risks at an early stage. Using proven techniques and equipment to measure the transmission values of test-blast output energies, we can then calculate the blast dimensions that are likely to be possible during the construction or production phase. By gaining this information early, we give you the tools for more realistic costing and scheduling, with the aim of zero damage and minimal disruption. In addition to this clear value, the information obtained from test blasting can lead to a greater general understanding of the formation to begin with.

Projects large and small
Nitro Consult offers risk analyses of both small and large projects, regardless of their complexity. Our larger project references include:

  • The Stockholm City Line (Citybanan), a 6-km railway under the Swedish capital currently being constructed at a cost of SEK 16.8 billion (USD 2.4 billion)
  • The Northern Link (Norra Länken), a 4-km mostly underground expressway currently under construction at a cost of a SEK 14 billion (USD 2 billion)
  • The Bothnia Coastal Railway (Botniabanan), a SEK 13.2 billion (USD 1.9 billion) high-speed railway project currently nearing completion. The 190-km route of this new railway includes 143 bridges and 25 km of tunnels.
  • The Southern Link (Södra Länken), a 6-km mostly underground expressway which opened to traffic in 2004 at a cost of SEK 7.9 billion (USD 1.13 billion). The Southern Link and Northern Link (above) form part of the steadily materializing Stockholm Inner Orbital Expressway.