Effect of insoluble materials on the volumetric behavior of rock salt

This paper focuses on the presence of nodules insoluble materials within salt specimens, and their effect volumetric strain measurements dilatancy phenomenon. We analyzed experimental results over 120 conventional triaxial compression tests, found that in 20% cases, were atypical. also noted natural variability specimens can lead to a non-negligible data scattering when different are subjected same test. is expected given small magnitude those strains, but it occasionally implies corresponding not representative behavior studied rock. In order understand these results, we numerically investigated modeled as halite matrices with inclusions impurities. Simulations tests structures proved such heterogeneities induce dilatancy, appearance tensile zones which physically translated into micro-cracking activity. The modeling approach validated patterns displayed numerical identical laboratory. It was then employed explain observed irregularities results. well proposed methodology overcome issue specimen representativity from both deviatoric perspectives.