Determining the Mechanical Characteristics of Prismatic Salt Rock Samples and Comparing Them with Cylindrical Ones

Salt rock is a crystalline material with a particular structure and different mechanical behavior. This inorganic material is a highly deformable rock, which shows creep under constant loads. This study attempts to estimate the properties and mechanical parameters of salt rock, such as uniaxial compressive strength, deformation modulus, Poisson’s ratio, internal friction angle, longitudinal wave propagation speed, and other related parameters by designing and performing the tests in accordance with valid standards in this context. Prismatic specimens were prepared from a salt rock dome, and the complete stress–strain curves in uniaxial compressive tests were determined. Comparison of salt rock strength and deformation characteristics with the brittle rock material shows significant difference between them. The results of tests have demonstrated the effect of the form of samples on their mechanical parameters. The ratio of the strengths under uniaxial loading of cylindrical samples to similar prismatic ones is about 0.83.