Effect of temperature on compressive and tensile strengths of salt

A multi-axial strength criterion is developed to describe the distortional strain energy density of rock salt at failure as a function of the mean strain energy. The temperature effect on salt strength is implicitly considered by incorporating empirical relations between the elastic parameters and temperatures of the tested specimens. The proposed criterion agrees well with the test results obtained under temperatures ranging from 273-467 K. The proposed criterion is useful and practical for a conservative determination of the stability of compressed-air or gas storage caverns where the surrounding salt is subject to fluctuations of temperature during product injection and withdrawal periods.