Abstract A new criterion of salt dilation considering Lode angle and the total stress states on the basis of the yield criterion of triple shear energy was developed to investigate the stability for underground horizontal gas storage in bedded salt formations. The theoretical analysis of stress distribution was carried out to a salt cavern with elliptical cross-section and the state of stress along the wall of the salt cavern was discussed. The wall stabilities of salt caverns with different ratios of long-axis to short-axis and lateral pressure coefficients are estimated with the new dilation criterion. The best cavern shape for different lateral pressure coefficients and the range of pressure limits for the operation of salt cavern are thus determined. The results from the new dilation criterion are consistent well with the measured data.
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Received: 25 December 2013
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