Torsional stick-slip vibrations and multistability in drill-strings

The generalized lumped-parameter model of the drill-string system is studied in this paper to provide a fundamental understanding of the torsional stick-slip vibrations in downhole drilling. Our investigation focuses on analysing the cause of three coexisting states: bit sticking, stick-slip vibration, and constant rotation. A critical region of multistability is identified based on the lumped-parameter model, and the conditions for switching between these multiple stable states are discussed. Special attention is given to the bifurcation structure of the considered drill-string model, which is obtained via path-following methods for nonsmooth dynamical systems. The bifurcation scenario is compared to the case when a longer drill-string is considered, which amounts to drilling deeper. It is found that the main features of the bifurcation picture persist under variation of the drill-string length, with certain numerical differences regarding for instance the window of multistability.