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Title: Mechanical properties of anhydrite and polyhalite in quasi-static triaxial compression

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6074335

Bedded salt of the Salado Formation at the WIPP site in southeastern New Mexico is being considered as a nuclear waste containment media. The Salado Formation is composed of 85 to 90 percent rock salt and the remaining 10 to 15 percent of the formation consists primarily of polycrystalline anhydrite, smaller amounts of polycrystalline polyhalite, and minor amounts of clay. In order to provide a more complete evaluation of the thermomechanical behavior of rock in the Salado Formation adjacent to the proposed repository, a rock mechanics testing program has been initiated to determine the mechanical properties of the two most abundant nonsalt rock, anhydrite and polyhalite. This report summarizes the mechanical properties of these two rock types in dry, room temperature, quasi-static triaxial compression experiments to 20 MPa confining pressure. In addition, Coulomb-Mohr and Mises-Drucker criteria have been fit successfully to both yield and failure stress data.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
6074335
Report Number(s):
SAND-81-0858; ON: DE82003195; TRN: 82-000688
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English