I am currently conducting a transient thermal-structural analysis using Ansys Mechanical. The model represents a 1-meter segment of a geothermal well located at a depth of 2000m, consisting of three concentric layers: casing, cement, and formation.
To compare and evaluate how different contact conditions between the casing and cement (Bonded, Frictional, and Free/Unconstrained) affect the axial displacement and axial stress distribution during cooling.When the top and bottom faces are left free (or subjected to uniform pressure), local micro-deformations occur near the edges due to differences in material properties (Poisson's ratio and thermal expansion coefficients) between steel and cement. This causes localized stress concentrations, resulting in non-uniform (curved) axial stress distributions near both ends. In reality, considering the continuity of a 2000m well, the stress distribution within this 1-meter segment should be perfectly uniform (flat).
I want to eliminate these edge effects completely, but at the same time, I must accurately capture the relative axial displacement (slipping) for each contact condition. In other words, I need a setup where the top face of each layer remains perfectly flat without any micro-warping, yet each layer can still expand or contract independently in the axial direction.
To achieve both goals—allowing each layer to slide and contract independently (for contact condition comparison) and keeping the top faces perfectly flat to ensure a uniform stress profile—what is the most appropriate way to set up the boundary conditions and loads in Ansys Mechanical? And What is the standard or recommended approach (e.g., proper implementation of Generalized Plane Strain) to reproduce the continuity of an infinitely long well within this short 1-meter segment model?
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