Determination of stress field around gas storage cavities using complex potential functions

A new analytical solution for stress state around gas storage cavities، under constant internal pressure، is presented in this study. Rock mass was assumed to behave as isotropic، linear elastic materials. Due to complexity of the problem for noncircular cross-section configuration of cavities، Muskhelishvili complex potential functions combined with conformal mapping was used. Finally، the results predicted by analytical solution were compared with those obtained by phase 2 finite element software for both weighted and weightless models which showed a good agreement except for some points of the cavity wall where large curvature and high stress concentration exist.