Fabric evolution and crack propagation in salt during consolidation and cyclic compression tests

It is of great interest to describe and quantify the evolution microstructure for a better understanding rock deformation processes. In this study, 2D images salt are analyzed at several stages consolidation tests cyclic compression magnitude orientation solidity, coordination, local solid volume fraction, crack volume. both tests, aggregates achieved by grain rearrangement greater than that an individual grain. test, rearranged into horizontal layers coordinated grains, distribution indentations quasi-uniform, size pores reduces becomes more uniformly distributed. As result, homogeneous. The increase in fraction lateral direction correlated with oedometer modulus. grain-to-grain contact areas decrease due redistribution grains propagation intergranular cracks. Aggregates reorganized columns grains. Intergranular opening-mode cracks tend develop axial direction, while shear-mode propagate preferentially direction. components fabric tensors coordination decrease, which result Poisson’s ratio. descriptors used work allow quantification halite processes can be other types rocks encountering similar mechanisms.