Effect of pressure and temperature on the thermal properties of a salt and a quartz monzonite : Durham, W B; Abey, A E Proc 22nd US Symposium on Rock Mechanics, Cambridge, Mass: MIT, 1981

Abstract

Measurements have been made of thermal conductivity, diffusivity, and linear expansion as a function of temperature (to 573 K) and hydrostatic pressure (to 50 MPa) on two rocks, Avery Island domal salt and Climax Stock quartz monzonite. For Avery Island salt the thermal properties do not show any pressure dependence and are approximately the same values as for single crystal halite at 0.1 MPa. The lack of pressure dependence is attributed to the high symmetry of halite (cubic) and to its low strength, both of which inhibit brittle fracturing. For Climax Stock quartz monzonite no pressure dependence of thermal diffusivity has been resolved, but conductivity does show a drop of approximately 10% with decreasing pressure from 50 to 3 MPa. The pressure dependence is not measurably altered by heating the rock to as high as 473 K under 50 MPa. Our measurements so far on the thermal conductivity of quartz monzonite vs temperature and pressure are in agreement with predictions of the Walsh and Decker (1966) model of thermal conductivity vs crack porosity based on independent measurements of crack porosity vs temperature and pressure for the same quartz monzonite. Heating to temperatures greater than 473 K at 50 MPa, ormore » heating to lower temperatures at lower pressures, should substantially reduce thermal conductivity of the quart monzonite.« less