DAHANA’s DABEX Becomes Solution to the Construction of Trenggalek’s Tugu Dam

Infrastructure development in Indonesia has continued boosting in recent years, one of which is the construction of the Tugu Dam in Trenggalek, East Java. The dam is planned to be in operation and utilized by the community as a water reservoir while potentially reduce flooding by 50%. Tugu Dam is situated on the border of Trenggalek regency and Ponorogo regency. PT DAHANA (Persero), a state-owned enterprise engaged in the explosives industry participates in the construction of the Tugu Dam.

Previously, the area around Tugu Trenggalek was regularly inundated with severe impacts to the economy of the residents with disruption to the local agricultural activities and production. The dam is highly required by the local residents as to advance the economy in agriculture. Planned to be capable of irrigating thousands of hectares of residents’ agricultural fields, the dam will have the capacity of supplying 12 litres of water per second. In addition, this dam can also serve as a recreation area.

The dam which will serve as a source of irrigation and recreational area is split by Keser river, the largest river in the area that cause flooding. Apart from causing disaster, this river also gives great potential in the form of freshwater fish. With the construction of the Tugu Dam, the community can exploit the potential of this freshwater fish farming as well.

DAHANA provides Drilling and Blasting Services to contractors through its Quarry and Construction Division . As of July 2019, DAHANA was assigned to execute drilling and blowing up of rocks and soil in for construction of Tugu Dam. DAHANA has the opportunity to participate in the construction until the dam is completed.

“It is a six month work, from July to December 2019. However, due to the gradual and parallel construction work, there is a possibility that the contract period will be extended. The progress of the work plan is still around 50% to date,” said Rosi Rosmayanti, Customer Relations Division of the Quarry & Construction Division of PT DAHANA (Persero).

The development of blasting technology produced by the Energetic Material Center (EMC) in the form of Dabex, Non-electric Detonator, and Prime Booster Power are what DAHANA relies on to provide the best service to the customers.

Setio Budhianto, acting GM of Quarry & Construction Division of PT DAHANA (Persero) conveyed to Dfile that DAHANA’s challenge in the Tugu Dam Project is the fact that the construction or the making of spillway was carried out after grouting. The axis of the dam concrete had already been made with the distance ranging from 50 to 210 meters to the blasting location. The contractor is worried that the blasting work will affect the quality of the axis of the concrete.

“Of course we have a solution to this challenge, with the advantages of DAHANA products such as Dabex, Nonel Detonator, and Dayaprime, as well as DAHANA’s Quarry & Construction Division service team. Blasting at the spillway site can still be done without interfering with the dam concrete axis and grouting,” said Setio

DAHANA got appreciation from costumers for its excellent services, especially in term of the renewable explosive technology, Dabex. DAHANA could also show the results of blasting parameters.

Dabex is a waterproof bulk explosive which has higher strength characteristics with better fragmentation results while still maintain the vibration. Zero oxygen balance produces “smoke” or gases that results in environmentally friendly blasting. Therefore, this product is suitable for use in underground operations such as the construction of the Trenggalek Tugu Dam spillway. Dabex can be applied to watery firing holes and inserted in holes with a diameter of 75 mm.

Apart from that, Dabex can also be applied directly or else in the form of blends/mixtures with ANFO up to 40% DANFO composition. Gassing of the DABEX emulsion allows adjustment of the final product density, detonation pressure, explosive strength and gas volume.

Owing to the ability to control density through the gassing process, it is possible to vary the final product density of the DABEX emulsion mixture at the firing hole according to the blasting environment requirements. With optimized bulk explosives loading strength, the blasting costs can be reduced to a minimum.

Dahana Challenge
PT DAHANA (Persero) ‘s Director of Operations Bambang Agung said that Dabex had to be applied by Dahana Personnel by expanding its markets such as Coal, Gold, Quarry and Construction Markets, both in open and underground works.

This is a challenge for DAHANA personnel because Dabex is bulk explosive product which can be used in a customized manner by the manufacturer, in this case Dahana itself.

“Therefore, the use of Dabex by the Quarry & Construction Division at the Tugu Dam is correct and must be further optimized due to the fact that the products are technically and economically more and more penetrable into the construction sector, “ said Bambang Agung.

DAHANA has a 20- year experience in Dabex application, starting with the then Karimun Project. Currently, Dabex is used in coal and gold mine sectors scattered in Kalimantan and Sulawesi. Dabex has also become the capital for expanding Dabex markets because of product variety adjusted to the need of the customer and the respective project.

“It is our hope that Dahana’s employees who are already familiar with Dabex products and newly recruited millennial personnel will get more knowledge on DAHANA’s range of products. One of them the Dabex,” concluded Bambang Agung. (yz)