The influence of residual stress fields and sheet thickness on stress distributions in riveted joint

Riveting is a traditional, but still popular (particularly in aviation) method of joining metal and composite elements. The residual stress and plastic strain states occur in the joint after the riveting process. The total stress aperienced by the material at a given location within a component depends on the residual and applied stress. Residual post-riveting stress fields are widely accepted to have a significant influence on the fatigue life of aircraft structures. The single lap riveted joint consisting of two sheets and three rows of rivets are analysed. Two specimens are taken into consideration: sheet width and pitch distance are equal to 10.5 mm and rivet diameter is equal to 3.5 mm in the former case whereas 25 mm wide sheets and 5 mm rivet diameter are used in the later case. Distance between rivets (pitch length) and sheet width are equal to 3 or 5 rivet diameters. Materials used in riveted joints are subjected to plastic deformation. The rivet (PA24) and the sheet (2024T3) aluminium alloys are described using piecewise linear material models. The yield stress for the multiaxial state is calculated using the von Mises yield criterion. The paper deals with analysis of the pitch length and sheet thickness influence on stress fields. Stress concentrations around the holes in the rivet row and its distribution between rows are calculated. Models with and without residual stresses are taken into consideration. Local change of the sheet thickness causes a decrease in secondary bending of the joint. This is a result of a small increase in bending between the rivet rows and a simultaneous decrease in maximum bending stress values.