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Geomechanical Characterization of Evaporitic Rocks

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Soft Rock Mechanics and Engineering

Abstract

This chapter aims to present a summary on the main physical and geomechanical properties of evaporitic rocks (evaporites), that is, sedimentary rocks of chemical origin composed mainly of chlorides, carbonates and sulfates such as halite, gypsum, anhydrite, sylvinite, carnallite, and calcite. This text deals with the geological definition of evaporites, formation environments, relevant sedimentary structures, and the diagenesis of sediments. All these aspects directly and indirectly influence the physical indexes of the rocks (density, porosity, water content, absorption, thermal conductivity, etc.) and the strength, deformation, and time-dependent properties. Specific aspects of the index properties of the aforementioned materials and their geomechanical properties will be dealt with, emphasizing the sulphate rocks formed by gypsum and anhydrite. Finally, real cases of geotechnical problems associated with these rocks will be presented.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Chairman Prof. Milton Kanji and the vice-chairman Prof, He Manchao for the invitation to make a contribution in this book, and Dr. Paulo Cella for providing a copy of his PhD thesis on salt rocks from Brazil. I would like to thank the anonymous referees for their suggestions, which have led to significant revisions and improvements.

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  1. Universidad Nacional de La Rioja (UNLaR), La Rioja, Argentina

    Mauricio Giambastiani

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  1. Mauricio Giambastiani
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Polytechnical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Milton Kanji

  2. State Key Laboratory for GeoMechanics and Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology (Beijing), Tongji University, Beijing, China

    Manchao He

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Luís Ribeiro e Sousa

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Giambastiani, M. (2020). Geomechanical Characterization of Evaporitic Rocks. In: Kanji, M., He, M., Ribeiro e Sousa, L. (eds) Soft Rock Mechanics and Engineering . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29477-9_6

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