Large grain-size-dependent rheology contrasts of halite at low differential stress: evidence from microstructural study of naturally deformed gneissic Zechstein 2 rock salt (Kristallbrockensalz) from the northern Netherlands

Constitutive laws to predict long-term deformation of solution-mined caverns and radioactive-waste repositories in rock salt play an important role in the energy transition. Much of this deformation is at differential stresses of a few megapascals, while the vast majority of laboratory measurements are at much higher differential stress and require extrapolation. This can be much improved by including microstructural data of samples deformed in natural laboratories. Deformation of rock salt can occur by dislocation creep and grain-size-dependent dissolution–precipitation creep processes (press... Mehr ...