Deformation of polycrystalline salt in compression and in shear at 250–350°C

Abstract Dry synthetic polycrystalline salt (NaCl) has been deformed in uniaxial compression and in shear in order to gain insight into the influence of deformation mode on the development of crystallographic preferred orientation, microstructural evolution and mechanical behaviour (flow strength). The experiments were carried out between 250 and 350°C, at strain rates between 10 −5 and 10 −7 s −1 . Under these conditions halite deforms by climb-controlled dislocation creep. In our samples, the presence of deformed grains containing cellular networks of subgrains, and the development of texture are consistent with such mechanisms. The weaker {110} <110> slip plane appears to align parallel to the shear plane and perpendicular to the uniaxial compression direction. In the sheared samples, a <111> maximum is observed parallel to the shear direction. The textures obtained agree favourably with texture simulations. When the mechanical behaviour seen in uniaxial compression and shear is compared in terms of equivalent stress and strain, as defined in the von Mises theory of isotropic plasticity, the uniaxially deformed samples appear to be stronger. From a detailed consideration of the data, it is inferred that the difference in flow strength is largely due to anisotropy resulting from texture development. The results suggest that the assumptions underlying the von Mises theory of isotropic plasticity are not applicable in the present case, and that the associated flow rule does not offer an accurate method of generalizing creep laws for salt under the conditions investigated.