Abstract：Because of special mechanical behaviors of rock salt，evaluating criteria of stabilities have fundamental differences between energy (petroleum and gas) storage caverns in salt and in rock formations；and there are no unified criteria and design regulations for storage cavern in rock salt worldwide. The stabilities of caverns are evaluated by means of numerical analysis methods such as FEM or FLAC. Generally，most evaluations of stabilities for caverns in rock salt are carried out as follows：Firstly some criteria of caverns are set up on basis of the caverns and mechanical behaviors of rocks associated with rock salt and caprocks；Then experiments for rock salt and other rocks such as rockcap are performed，and some parameters concerned with calculation are gained；Finally analysis and evaluation for the stabilities of storage caverns could be conducted by means of the results of numerical calculation and simulation. The contents and evaluating criteria of stabilities for storage caverns in rock salt are proposed；and some formulas associated with evaluation of stabilities are given. These criteria can be divided into three aspects：(1) criteria of stabilities such as no walls spalling，no creep rupture，safe pillar control，and subsidence control on the ground；(2) criteria of tightness such as maximal interior pressure control principle；(3) and criteria of usage such as convergence rate control for caverns. Control values of stability evaluation are given according to engineering experiences for operation of some storage caverns，the utilizing ratio of strength around the cavern is no more than 40%－50% as control value of no wall spalling，and the variation of strain around the cavern is no more than 3% in Germany as control value of no creep rupture，for instances. Meanwhile，a sample in China is given. In the sample it states how to evaluate stabilities for the caverns，but it is emphasized that some aspects of the criteria are maybe modified on basis of different properties for storage caverns and rock salt.
