Stability analysis of a group of underground anhydrite caverns used for crude oil storage considering rock tensile properties

Tensile deformation and damage play an essential role in rock engineering problems. This paper presents a framework for evaluating the stability of a group of anhydrite caverns combining both experimental and numerical methods. In this study, the tensile Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio of anhydrite are determined based on the Brazilian disc splitting test. The tests show that the tensile Young’s modulus of anhydrite is less than the compressive Young’s modulus, with a ratio of approximately 0.58–0.91. The tensile Poisson’s ratio is greater than the compressive Poisson’s ratio, with a ratio of approximately 2.47–3.20. Based on the differences between the mechanical parameters (Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio) of anhydrite in the tensile and compressive states, a user-defined constitutive model is developed with the Hoek-Brown failure criterion, which describes the tensile and compressive behaviour at a laboratory scale. Finally, a large-scale three-dimensional (3D) anhydrite cavern group located in Anhui Province, China, which was formed by mining activity over the past 10 years, is used as a case study to illustrate the proposed framework. The model for the anhydrite cavern group is established in FLAC3D5.0, and the stability of the anhydrite cavern group used for underground oil storage is then analysed with this model. The simulation results indicate that after the exploitation is completed, there are few plastic zones and tensile elements in the surrounding rock near the cavern group. The maximum value of cavern roof settlement is approximately 5.54 mm. The maximum cavern bottom upheaval is approximately 6.11 mm, and the maximum ground subsidence is approximately 3.0 mm. The results indicate that the Anhui Hengtai anhydrite cavern group possesses good stability potential as an underground oil storage space.