Tri-Axial Design

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 Background
• Axial forces and pressures generate tri-axial stresses
in tubing strings
• Axial, radial and tangential stresses are generated in
the tubing walls

σr
σθ
σa
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 Modelling tri-axial stresses
• Hencky-Von Mises distortion energy theory

• It predicts yielding of ductile, isotropic materials very

accurately

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 Representation of the results
• Tri-axial load capacity diagram
• API window is pressure

& tension of the pipe

• VME stress curve define

the stress level in

the pipe & axial force

• Dotted green line is the

VME with a DF

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 Other factors considered

• Tubing to casing friction

• Surface slack-off

• Drag in deviated wells

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 Final loading diagram

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 Summary
• Tri-axial stress analysis considers the use of finite
elements to determine the stresses at the wall of the
pipe
• The analysis uses the Hickley-Von Mises theory and
considers axial loads, internal and external pressures
• Other factors considered in the analysis include tubing
to casing friction, slack-off forces and drag in deviated
wells.
• Tri-axial analysis is better done using software
packages

© The Robert Gordon University 2006 7