Joint projects on the comparison of constitutive models for the mechanical behavior of rock salt I. Overview of the projects, reference mine for 3-D benchmark calculations, in-situ measurements and laboratory tests

Project 1 was presented e.g. at the Saltmech6 conference in Hannover in 2007 (Schulze et al., 2007, Hou et al., 2007, Hampel et al., 2010). Therefore, the focus of both parts of this contribution will be on project 2 with benchmark calculations of a 3-D section of a real salt mine. Every partner calculated the section with his constitutive model

1 INTRODUCTION

In recent decades, a large and detailed experimental and theoretical knowledge base has been compiled for the geomechanical behavior of rock salt. On this basis, several elaborated and advanced constitutive models and procedures for the performance of numerical calculations have been developed. The models and procedures are applied in numerical simulations for the design, stability analysis, and evaluation of the long-term behavior of underground openings in rock salt.