ORAL REFERENCE: FT588

FATIGUE ON DRILL STRING CONICAL THREADED CONNECTIONS, TEST RESULTS AND SIMULATIONS
L. Bertini1 , M. Beghini1 , C. Santus1 , and A. Baryshnikov2
1 DIMNP

- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica Nucleare e della Produzione - Universit` a di Pisa. Via Diotisalvi n.2, Pisa. 56100 - Italy. 2 ENI S.p.A. - San Donato Milanese (MI) - Italy.

ABSTRACT The paper is concerned with fatigue life of drill string threaded connections used in Oil drilling technology. Full scale tests, nite element simulations and discussion of fatigue models are reported. Full scale fatigue tests were performed at the University of Pisa. Two kinds of not standard fatigue test rigs are proposed for different geometry and connection constructions, both exploiting near resonance conditions induced in the specimens to get the overall structure not loaded and test time reduced. Finite element analyses were performed to get an interpretation of tests and particular care was devoted to model the connection presetting and the following fatigue loading. Prediction of the specimen fatigue life was performed to reproduce test results and different approaches are proposed. Basic material resistance properties were previously produced to apply fatigue models. Some limitations in prediction were observed, in particular due to high mean stress generated at notched nucleation sites and also not clear demarcation between nucleation and propagation in full scale tests.

KEYWORDS: full scale tests, fatigue life prediction, drill string threaded connections, nite element simulations.

1 INTRODUCTION Oil drilling typically employs long hollow drill string to reach the production area [1]. Fatigue damage in drill string is a well known issue in oil drilling technology, recording more than 50% failures [2]. Since failures entails the lost of the drilling site, drill string failures are time consuming and very costly. Failure usually results from material fatigue aggravated by the corrosive environment, improper equipment handling, excessive rotational speeds or loading. Coupling of various damage conditions reduces dramatically the fatigue life of the string. In particular, corrosion effect is a key factor [3, 4] primarily related to hydrogen sulde (H2 S) which can drastically reduce or eliminate the endurance limit. Full Scale fatigue tests (i.e. tests on real components) are therefore strategic for oil drilling companies. Indeed devices for drilling elements fatigue tests have been recently proposed based on four points bending scheme [5]. Connections between elements working for long periods in deviated wells or experiencing buckling tilting plus bending lateral vibration [6] are the drill string typical locations of fatigue damage. To connect drill string elements in situ conical shouldered threaded connections are used (briey named as
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rotary shouldered connections). Pin and Box components and their usual locations for fatigue damage, are showed in Fig.1(a) [7]. In the typical construction, schematically depicted in Fig.1(a), the connection end (tool joint) is xed to the pipe through stir welding. The whole component is made by low alloy steels for heat treatment [7]. The paper mainly considers these components. However, the construction of Fig.1(b) is considered as well, referred to ISO standard [8]. The aluminum pipe element is connected to the steel connection through a steelaluminum threaded connection which is not broken out during the operation.
Box fatigue location Pin fatigue location
Fatigue location Fatigue location

alluminum

steel

steel

alluminum Pin side

(a)

(b)

Box side

Figure 1: (a) Fatigue locations in steel construction. The root of the Last Engaged Thread is the weakest point in fatigue, both for Pin and Box. (b) Fatigue locations in aluminum construction. The end of the steelaluminum connection is the typical fatigue nucleation site. Full scale fatigue tests were carried out through a cooperation between University of Pisa and ENI oil company. Results are divided in the two experimental activities regarding: steel heavy construction [9, 10], Fig.1(a); aluminum light construction, Fig.1(b). A brief description of the test equipments and interpretation of results is proposed by means of numerical simulations, through Finite Element (FE), to nd a good approximation of the stress state at the fatigue nucleation site, and fatigue model to predict fatigue life. In the scope of Oil Drilling applications, fatigue life mainly concerns with High Cycle Fatigue (HCF ). When Stress Life and Strain Life produce similar results, as widely stated in the literature [11, 12]. Stress life approach (and related nomenclature) is followed in the present paper. Basic material fatigue strength was evaluated through small scale tests, therefore fatigue models applied. Indeed a well calibrated fatigue analytical model is a powerful tool if accurate fatigue life prediction is required on components of similar construction, to reduce the number of expensive and time consuming full scale tests. Furthermore, if the material and technological process are the same, only numerical calculations need to be re-run. A deeper investigation on the local effective stress state, and the analysis of factors inuencing material fatigue strength, leads to a very useful understanding of possible improvements to enhance fatigue strength.

FULL SCALE FATIGUE TESTS

2.1 Steel heavy construction In this section tests related to the construction introduced in Fig.1(a) are reported, in which fatigue crack nucleates at the thread roots. The material used is a Chromium Molybdenum tempering steel as dened by API standard [7], which has basically the same composition and heat treatment of AISI 4145H steel. Main specimen dimensions are Outside Diameter OD = 88.9[mm], Inside Diameter ID = 38.1[mm] and Specimen Length SL = 1.5[m]. By means of a bending test rig, designed and manufactured at the Mechanical Department of Pisa University, full scale tests were carried out on specimens obtained from a pipe segment including a connection. The test machine induces alternating (not rotating) bending load, as shown schematically in Fig.2. The nominal stress distribution, with maximum 0 , is referred as the load applied remotely from connection zone. In Fig.3(a) the test rig is showed and in Fig.3(b) it shows how alternating bending is applied to the specimen.
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Alternating Bending

Figure 2: Sketch of the specimen and the load applied remotely in alternating bending condition, and the nominal bending stress with max value 0
Rotating masses Bending arms Strain gauge Specimen

1m

(a)
Rotating eccentric masses
F t t

Bending arm
-

Bending arm
F2 de H Zt

(b)

Specimen

Figure 3: (a) Pictures of the Test Rig and specimen location. (b) Test rig operation working. Rotating eccentric masses, at the top of two bending arms, can be shifted in phase and alternating bending amplitude can be tuned. The test rig operates at a frequency which is near, a little bit lower, to the rst resonance of the specimen dynamic system in which the specimen is the spring and the arms the inertial masses. At this condition eccentric masses excitation is strongly amplied, therefore high alternative bending moment is induced in the specimen by means of little masses. Closed-loop control is applied through strain gauges that measure longitudinal strain far from the thread zone. Further information about the test rig are reported in [9]. It is well known that fatigue life is due to Crack Nucleation plus Crack Propagation. In full scale tests, propagation time can not be neglected as compared to nucleation time, in particular for tough materials [11]. Thus, nucleation and total fatigue life need to be distinguished. In the performed tests, specimens were not inspected during the test, but their dynamic behavior was monitored. In the rst part of the test, while the specimen is awless (or the crack is small), dynamic response is steady, on the contrary when a big enough crack is present, dynamic behavior changes. The Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) was applied to analyze the strain signals. Unless the specimen was significantly damaged, the amplitude of the rst harmonic is uppermost than the second. Therefore as symptom of fatigue crack presence, second harmonic is compared to the rst until it starts to get predominant. Therefore it is possible to understand that the dimension of the crack, to be detected through dynamic global response, is quite large (around half the thickness of the pipe wall) then a remarkable portion of the fatigue propagation is included in the life which is experimentally detected as nucleation. In the following, to highlight this issue, the term experimental nucleation will be used. In Tab.1 a summary of the experimental results about the full scale fatigue tests is reported. Test results are also reported in Fig.4 as S-N curve for alternating bending load, showing the typical linear correlation between nominal bending stress 0 and number of cycles to failure (or to experimental nucleation) in log-log scales, but here reported in semi-log scales.
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Table 1: Steel connection full scale fatigue test results. Alt. Stress Exp. nucleation Fatigue life Failure mode 0 [MPa] [cycles] [cycles] 6 50 > 10 10 > 10 106 Run out 6 55 2.95 10 5.915 106 Pin side 6 6 60 1.75 10 5.034 10 Pin side 6 6 70 1.77 10 3.39 10 Pin side 70 1.54 106 4.085 106 Pin side 6 6 80 0.829 10 1.32 10 Pin side 6 6 90 0.390 10 0.860 10 Pin side 6 6 100 0.180 10 0.550 10 Pin side
120 100

0 [MPa]

80 60 40 20 0 5 10

Exp. nucleation Fatigue life Exp. nucleation t line Fatigue life t line
10
6

(a)

cycles

10

10

(b)

Figure 4: (a) Fatigue test results for the steel connection, (b) Pin fatigue failure surface. 2.2 Aluminum light construction The aluminum light construction is briey introduced in Fig.1(b). The alloy used for pipe is dened in ISO standard [8] and is basically an articially aged Al-Zn alloy similar to AA7014-T6. Specimen dimensions are Outside Diameter OD = 147[mm], Inside Diameter OD = 107[mm] and Specimen Length SL = 3.7[m]. where OD and ID dimensions are related to the aluminum section. Test rig designed and manufactured at Mechanical Department of Pisa University is shown in Fig.5.
Y Z X

Undeformed shape Deformed shape

Aluminum pipe Steel connection Strain gauge Steel connection Aluminum pipe 0.5 m

Fatigue section

Fix point 1

Fatigue section

Specimen prop at fix points

Fix point 2 Eccentric rotating mass

(a)

(b)

Figure 5: (a) Picture of the connection to test. (b) Vibration induced in the specimen. It is worth noting that displacements in Fig.5(b) are strongly amplied for graphical reason, and that the specimen is not rotating, but rotating bending is induced. Fatigue crack nucleates at the end section interface between steel and aluminum pipe. Fatigue test results are
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reported in Fig.6 along with crack surface at the fracture section.

140 120 100

Tests Fit line

0 [MPa]

80 60 40 20 0 5 10

10

(a)

cycles

10

10

(b)

Figure 6: (a) Fatigue test results for aluminum light construction. (b) Fatigue crack surface at the fracture section. Propagation was a signicant portion of fatigue life for steel connection tests, on the contrary, aluminum connection test propagation life can be neglected compared to whole fatigue life, basically for two reasons: 1. specimen wall thickness is smaller, 2. aluminum alloy has lower toughness. Therefore the dynamic behavior of the specimen remains steady up to the end of the test, and no macroscopical evidence of the crack can be obtained. For this reason, fatigue life experimentally detected is mainly nucleation life.

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSES

3.1 Threaded steel connection Finite Element (FE) simulations have been developed in order to evaluate the stress-strain at the connection critical points where fatigue failures were detected. Taking into consideration a cylindrical frame with z axis along the axis, some insight on stress state are given in the following. If thread helix angle and thread conical shape are neglected, cylindrical frame axis are stress principal directions at the thread root location, then r , , and z are principal stresses under both axial or bending load. At the thread root location, stress state features:

r = 0 z > > 0 r = rz = z = 0

(1)

Moreover under prevailing elastic strain, since the the llet radius is small as compared to the distance to the axis, almost plane strain conditions locally arise:

(2)

As a consequence, threaded connections was modeled by a plane (bi-dimensional) Axi-Symmetric geometry [13], under the following assumptions: thread helical angle neglected, threads modeled as multiple rings; torsional and tangential loads neglected; after the plasticity induced by the rst loading ramp, elastic shakedown is assumed.
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With this model only axial and bending loads can be considered on the connection. It is remarkable that pure bending in a circular geometry can be correctly modeled in elastic conditions by means of 2D Harmonic elements. As harmonic analysis is based on the linearity of the problem any non-linearity (such as local yielding) could not be modeled. However this limit can be overcome by a proper sequence of FE analyses, as hereafter shown, and bending FE fatigue assessment can be accurately performed also with a bi-dimensional model. The bi-dimensional model is shown in Fig.7. The material was modeled as linear elastic far from stress concentration since yield could not be reached, while it is modeled as Elastic-Plastic where material was supposed to reach yield point, see Fig.7(b). For the elastic-plastic material, bilinear stress-strain curve was assumed with kinematic hardening rule. Constraint equation have been used, Fig.7(c), since the contact is not supposed to be lost due to make up presetting. Then contact non linearity is avoided.
Perfect elastic material model ElastoPlastic material model
Bonded contact condition

Box Axial simmetry Pin

Y Z X

(a)

(b)

(c)

Element discretization at thread root

Figure 7: Bi-dimensional model featuring: (a) Axial symmetry. (b) Elastic-plastic material model (only elastic in Harmonic model). (c) Bonded contact at thread edges, and ne discretization at thread roots. Due to the high make up presetting, during rotating (or alternating) bending the material at the thread root experiences stress uctuations at high tensile mean stress. In this conditions mean stress relaxation occurs, so this feature should be included in the constitutive material model. As a complete knowledge of these properties were not achieved, monotonic curve was considered. Presently, the authors are investigating the cyclic properties of the material to propose a more accurate model on stress-strain state at fatigue locations. Load cases (or load steps) needed to be considered in the analysis are: 1. Make up presetting: make up produces quite high stress, so plastic strain arises at the roots of the last engaged threads of the pin elements. Axi-Symmetric model along with Elastic-Plastic hardening material was used at this stage. Interference at the shouldered face (or stop face) was imposed to induce an axial load equivalent to that produced by make up torque presetting. 2. Application of external axial stress, simulating bending load after presetting: far eld axial stress was applied after load case 1. Stress imposed equals the value of the far eld bending stress at the last engaged root radial position. At thread root an increment of plastic strain can be observed during this phase. The highest tensile condition is reached; 3. Alternating stress with elastic model: after experiencing previous load cases, the material is cyclically loaded remaining in elastic conditions (elastic shakedown). Therefore, alternate stress state, to be superimposed, can be calculated independently through Harmonic linear analysis, performed with 2D Fourier elements. Stress state, at the last engaged thread root after load cases 2 and 3 is reported in Fig.8. It is worth noting that for the elastic-plastic solution, maximum stress can be found at a point located under the thread surface due to the plastic strain [14]. However the maximum stress range under variable bending is located at the thread root surface, due to elastic stress concentration. 3.2 Conical shoulder aluminum connection In this case thread roots are not nucleation site basically because the outer steel connection, much stiffer than the aluminum pipe, produce a strong shielding for bending stress at inner threads. The issue is described in Fig.9(a), while in Fig.9(b) the stress eld is reported. As the stress at the shoulder is singular if no llet is modeled, the elastic model point does not give sound
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1500

Stress path

Stresses [MPa]

1200

pl

0.008

900

0.006

600

0.004

300

0.002

0 0

0 4

(a)

(b)

Stress path coordinate [mm]

Figure 8: (a) Axial stress component (z ) at the Pin last engaged thread root after load cases 1 and 2. (b) Principal stress components and equivalent elastic strain along the thread root path. It is worth noting how stress gradients are smoothened by yielding.
Undeformed Strong stiffness drop

Stress raiser point

Exagerated bending deformation

Aluminum-steel interface, fretting nucleation induced

(a)

(b)

Figure 9: (a) Deformation (exaggerated) of the aluminum-steel interface, the strong drop of stiffness produces stress intensication. (b) Stress state at the fatigue nucleation site. information. The Theory of Critical Distance (TCD) was then applied to bypass this problem [15], in particular for fretting conditions, as in the present case, the crack analogy [16] should be used in order to identify a parameter able to describe fretting damage. The results of this analysis is in an early stage and no denitive conclusions can be stated.

FATIGUE LIFE MODELS

Steel connection results, reported in Tab.1, are discussed in the following. Fatigue models are applied in order to give an interpretation of full scale tests, indeed it is very useful to understand the limitations that can arise from fatigue life calculation. From numerical results obtained through FE, stress state is known at the root of last engaged thread both Pin and Box for each full scale test in Tab.1. Reported tests only account for Pin failures, however for different geometry Box failures can be found as well. In order to reproduce experimental conditions, the fatigue model needs to consider the following issues: nite life prediction is needed, instead of fatigue limit only; thread root stress state is biaxial, as reported in Eq.1; notch effect is clearly playing a signicant role, since stress gradient at the thread root is quite strong, as shown in Fig.8; thread root machined surface is important in the nucleation process; mean stress effect needs to be considered. The make up presetting at the connection coupling induces high tensile stress in particular at the Pin last engaged thread root, as shown in Fig.8. Regarding the last issue, two different models were considered:
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Equivalent plastic strain

z r

0.01

pl

1. Gerber model, in which mean stress effect is accounted for by a parabolic relation between alternate and mean stress [11]; 2. Smith Watson and Topper(SWT ) model, in which an equivalent fully reversed stress is considered [12]. Details of the fatigue models can be found in [17]. To determine basic material fatigue data, small scale tests were performed on specimens extracted from real components, to let them be representative of metallurgical conditions Fig.10(a) and surface state effect Fig.10(b).
-

Figure 10: Small scale specimen extracted from real components (left) for obtaining basic fatigue properties and small scale specimen used for evaluating the surface state effect (right).

4.1 Fatigue prediction results In Fig.11 Pin and Box sites stress condition, for each tested connection, are reported along with material fatigue Gerber model.
500

104 cycles 105 cycles FatigueLimit

400

Exp. nucleation [cycles]

Eq. alternate stress

Pin stress state Box stress state Failures 0

10

10

300

10

200

No failures Run out

200 400 600 800 1000

10

100

Tests
3

0 0

10 3 10

10

10

10

10

(a)

Eq. mean stress

(b)

Gerber model prediction [cycles]

Figure 11: (a) Equivalent stress state at Pin and Box locations. (b) Comparison between predicted nucleation (Gerber model) and experimental nucleation. The following conclusions can be stated: the mean stress at the Pin location is larger than at the Box, this is due to the connection make up; for the Pin the higher alternate bending nominal load (0 ) the higher is the alternate stress but the lower the mean stress, this is due to the local yielding of the material at the thread root; for the Box the higher alternate external load 0 , the higher are both alternate and mean stresses, since no local yielding of the material is obtained at the thread root; for each test, Pin site is in a worse condition as compared to the Box one. The prediction of the SWT model is reported in Fig.12(a). In Fig.12(b) Gerber and SWT models are compared demonstrating that they produce similar predictions, which almost coincide near the fatigue limit conditions. A wide mismatch seems to be obtained against experimental results, however it is important to remember that nucleation vs. propagation is strongly related to fatigue crack dimension resolution which is available.
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SWT model prediction [cycles]

10

10

Exp. nucleation [cycles]

10

10

10

10

10

Tests
10 4 10
4

Tests
10 3 10
3

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

(a)

SWT model prediction [cycles]

(b)

Gerber model prediction [cycles]

Figure 12: (a) Comparison between predicted nucleation (SWT model) and experimental nucleation. (b) Comparison between the two analytical models. In the tests here reported, nucleation was considered as the condition on whole structure dynamic behavior, as previously discussed. It is obvious that the minimum detectable crack is quite large, estimated about few centimeters. For this reason experimental nucleation (as considered in the paper) includes a quite remarkable portion of propagation. Thus, it is conceivable that experimental cycles are much higher then predicted. Even this is a conservative condition the mismatch is too wide and then a propagation calculation should be performed.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

In the paper two kinds of resonant fatigue rigs for testing drilling elements were presented, along with real component (full scale) test results. FE analysis were proposed to evauate stress state at the nucleation sites. Finally fatigue models were applied to match experimental results with calculation starting from FE simulations and material fatigue strength. For the steel connection the following indications were obtained: high tensile mean stress induced by the connection make up presetting leads to Pin failures instead of Box failure and this is correctly predicted by the model; the high crack toughness of the Chromium Molybdenum alloy steel, used for these connections, offers an extended service life before a large fatigue crack is produced in the connection; this damage tolerance is indeed strongly appreciated from an engineering point of view, but it produces a wide mismatch from nucleation predicted life and test results. To better understanding the limits of the calculation it is also useful to introduce the following issues in future analyses: the presetting stress state, applied to the connection, is known with not enough accuracy since friction play a signicant role during make up operation. Since mean stress effect is very important, prediction accuracy is affected; the material experiences relaxation at high mean stress, then monotonic curve is not the best way to model the stress strain behavior. A complete cyclic-properties characterization of the material is necessary. According to these intrinsic losses of accuracy the bi-dimensional model can be considered adequate to the precision expected. The following steps to better predict connections fatigue life are going to undertaken:
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 experimental nucleation life needs to be better resolved, otherwise fatigue life data to be matched is known with little accuracy itself; relaxation can be investigated through small specimens and properly modeled in the FE analysis. Therefore full scale fatigue tests are required since these issues can strongly reduce calculation a priori reliability. However after running a sequence of full scale tests the analytical fatigue model can be calibrated and applied with more condence to similar components.

ACKNOLEDGEMENTS The authors are grateful to ENI S.p.A., for founding the research, and technically supporting each phase of the study.

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