Theoretical and experimental analyses of casing collapsing strength under non-uniform loading

Failure data from oilfield showed that casings which were designed according to API standards were deformed and collapsed in salt formations. The main reason for decrease in strength may be caused by non-uniform loading(NUL) that was not considered in traditional casing collapsing strength design or that the designing method should be improved and developed. Obviously, the calculation of casing collapse strength is one of the key factors in casing design. However, the effect of NUL on casing collapse strength was generally neglected in the present computational methods. Therefore, a mechanical model which can calculate casing collapse strength under NUL was established based on the curved beam theory of the elasticity and was solved using displacement method. Simultaneously, three anti-collapse experiments were performed on C110 casing under NUL, and the strain and deformation laws of three casings in the process of collapse were obtained by the electrical method. Yield limit of every casing was obtained by analyzing those data. Experimental results are consistent with the results of calculation of new model. It indicates that the model can be used to calculate yield limit loading of casings under NUL.

A new method of studying collapsibility of loess

A new triaxial testing system that could control suction in wetting-induced collapsible tests was success-fully developed to study the suction effects on wetting-induced collapsible deformation.The pedestal of the triaxial cell was made up of two parts,and the equipment not only could control suction but also could make water accessible to soil.A pressure/volume-controlled equip-ment was combined with the triaxial system to measure the water volume absorbed by samples accurately and to add pressure on water to filtrate into the sample.The apparatus could measure volume change precisely and keep the deviator stress unvaried,as well as measure the volume of water filtrating into the samples exactly.A triaxial collapsible testing procedure was described using the new apparatus for undisturbed collapsible loess with controlled suction.Furthermore,a series of double triaxial collapsible tests were conducted under different suctions and the same net cell pressure,and tests under different net cell pressures and the same suction were also done.It was indicated that the collapsible deformation increased with the increasing suction,and the effect of the net cell pressure on collapsible deformation was remarkable.The new triaxial apparatus was a useful facility to study the collapsible behavior of loess.