For the size of large underground energy storage caverns in bedded salt rocks

the surrounding rock composed with many thin salt layers and interlayers can be regarded as an alternate layered medium; and its engineering mechanical properties are the basis of stability evaluation of the energy storage caverns. Therefore

it is very necessary to develop a model material preparation method for physical simulation of the layered salt rocks. A preparation method of model materials and test samples

whose thickness ratio and mechanical properties of the two layers can be adjusted

is presented. The preparation process is as follows. First

two model material blocks are cut into slices respectively by a slice cutter. And then

by using a suction lifter

the two kinds of soft slices are moved and stacked together alternately. Finally

the test layered samples with different dip angles and thickness ratios are obtained by drilling the composed model materials. A preliminary experiment has been carried out to study the influence of thickness ratio and dip angles to the alternate model rock mass. The results show that the samples can simulate well the behaviors of layered rock mass in the physical simulation tests of layered salt rocks.