Swelling Elastomers: Comparison of Material Models

Abstract

Little data is available about the material properties and swelling response of the elsatomers used in swell packers. This information is necessary for modeling and simulation of these elastomers in different petroleum applications. An experimental setup was therefore designed and implemented at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) to investigate the material behavior of these elastomers under tension and compression, so that these properties could be used for different simulations. Before developing a finite element model (FEM) of elastomer seal performance, it was felt that a thorough evaluation needs to be carried out to decide which of the currently available material models is most suitable for swelling elastomers. This comparison translates into the selection of the correct strain energy function for accurate determination of material coefficients. Different hyperelastic material models are compared here. Experimental investigations under tensile and compressive loads, along with their numerical analysis are presented in detail in this chapter.