JOURNAL OF ROCK MECHANICS

JOURNAL OF ROCK MECHANICS

Evaluation of the effect of temperature and number of heating-cooling cycles on the damage of rock salt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Amirkabir University of Technology
2 Faculty of Mining Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic)
10.22034/IRSRM.2026.739361.1083
Abstract
Rock salt is recognized as one of the most important host rocks for underground storage of natural gas, hydrogen, and nuclear waste disposal due to its characteristics such as very low permeability, low porosity, viscoplastic behavior, self-healing capability, and suitable stability. However, during the operation of salt caverns, repeated fluid injection and withdrawal processes cause alternating temperature changes and thermal cycles in the rock mass. These cycles, through repeated thermal expansion and contraction, induce internal stresses, microcrack growth, and structural changes in the rock salt, which can affect the mechanical and physical properties of the rock and, in the long term, reduce the stability and safety of underground reservoirs. Therefore, understanding the behavior of rock salt under different thermal conditions is of particular importance. The main objective of this study is to investigate the simultaneous effect of temperature and heating–cooling cycles on the mechanical behavior and the extent of damage in rock salt. To achieve this goal, cubic rock salt samples were prepared and subjected to three temperature levels: ambient temperature (25°C), 50°C, and 80°C, as well as to 1, 5, and 10 thermal cycles. The results showed that increasing the temperature and the number of thermal cycles causes noticeable changes in the internal structure of rock salt and reduces its mechanical properties, including uniaxial compressive strength and elastic modulus.
Keywords
Subjects

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