Rheological Characteristics of the Rock Salt from Slanic Prahova, Horizon XIV Below Level of 200m

Abstract

Abstract The long-term response and stability of underground mining works are crucial for ensuring the safety of workers, preventing costly accidents, and maintaining efficient operations. This is primarily due to the critical role these structures play in various industries, including mining, construction, and transportation. Understanding the long-term response and stability of such structures is an important factor for ensuring their durability and safety. Additionally, advancements in technology and engineering practices have allowed for more accurate assessments and predictions of long-term behaviour, leading to improved design and maintenance strategies. By examining the creep and relaxation behaviour, scientists can gain insights into the mechanical properties and stability of rocks under different conditions. The time-dependent experiments involve subjecting the rocks to varying rates of loading or deformation to understand their behaviour under different conditions. These methods provide valuable insights into the time-dependent properties of rocks, allowing researchers to better understand their response to various geological processes and engineering applications. This study was carried out in order to determine the rheological characteristics of the rock salt from Slanic Prahova mine, horizon XIV, and to analyse the local stability and the general stability of the resistance structures. The results of the experimentally determined rheological characteristics showed that the analysed salt has a pronounced tendency to creep, being able to be classified in creep category 5, which is a pronounced creep. The values obtained for the dilatancy threshold confirm the fact that salt is a material system that exhibits dilatancy.