Modification of the Rock Mechanical Design of Salt Caverns on the Basis of Recent Research

authored by

Dirk Zapf, Feline Körner, Bastian Leuger, Lukas Baumgärtel

Abstract

For some years now, the world has been facing the challenge of achieving an energy turnaround in the coming years. In this context, renewable energies are increasingly coming into focus, also with regard to the construction and operation of storage caverns in rock salt. In order to be ready for these challenges from an engineering point of view, a lot of research work has been carried out in recent years in the sector of dimensioning salt caverns for the storage of renewable energies. At the Institute of Geotechnical Engineering at Leibniz University in Hanover, Germany, a test apparatus was created that allows fracturing processes to be induced in rock salt test specimens. Various rock salt locations were investigated in the process. Research work on this aspect will be completed in the near future. The results of the research project will be presented and their consequences for the future storage of renewable energies in salt caverns will be discussed from an engineering point of view. In addition to the maximum and minimum operating pressures of a storage cavern, the thermodynamic stress during operation and the resulting stress and fracture conditions on a cavern wall will be discussed. The results of the research project are used to explain the modified dimensioning approaches.

Organisation(s)

Underground Construction Section

Type

Conference contribution

Publication date

23.06.2024

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geochemistry and Petrology, Geophysics

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.56952/ARMA-2024-0145 (Access: Closed)