Micro–macro approach for the rock salt behaviour

Rock salt is considered as a pure aggregate of halite (mineral NaCl) crystals and its behaviour is investigated by a micro–macro approach. The behaviour of the polycrystalline aggregate is deduced from the properties of the constituent halite crystals. A model for the elastoplastic behaviour of halite crystal has been deduced from experimental data available in the literature. The basic equations of the micro–macro model for the polycrystalline medium and the calculation method are then presented and the elastoplastic behaviour of rock salt is investigated by this method. The hardening effects obtained for the polycrystal are found to be very different from those obtained for FCC metal polycrystals. The differences are explained as a consequence of differences of families of glide systems in these crystals. Finally, the internal stresses in the polycrystal are studied in order to elucidate the origin of cracking and damage of the rock salt.