The behaviour of a self-piercing riveted connection under quasi-static loading conditions

Abstract

The behaviour of a self-piercing riveted connection was investigated experimentally and numerically. An extensive experimental programme was conducted on elementary riveted joints in aluminium alloy AA6060 in two different tempers, T4 and T6. The experimental programme was focused on the influence of important model parameters such as thickness of the plates, geometry of the specimens, material properties of the plates and loading conditions. An accurate 3D numerical model of different types of riveted connections subjected to various loading conditions was generated based on the results of the numerical simulation of the riveting process. A new algorithm was generated in order to transfer all the information from the 2D numerical model of the riveting process to the 3D numerical model of the connection. Thus, the 3D model was initialized with the proper deformed shape and the current post-riveting stress-strain state. The residual stresses and the local changes in material properties due to the riveting process were an important factor in order to get the correct structural behaviour of the model. The simulations have been carried out using the explicit finite element code LS-DYNA. The model was validated against the experimental results in order to get the correct deformation modes and the force-displacement characteristics. The numerical force-displacement curves fitted the experimental ones with reasonable accuracy. Furthermore, the model seemed to be able to describe the correct structural behaviour and thus the failure mechanisms of the self-piercing riveted connections.

Macroscopic strength and failure properties of flow-drill screw connections

“…Accordingly, a higher strength was expected. The observed deformation and failure modes of the SPR connections were in accordance with the observations of Porcaro et al (2006a).…”

“…The shear, tensile and combined shear and tensile quasi-static load responses of SPR connections between aluminium extrusions were investigated by Porcaro et al (2006a). They also studied the influence of the plate thickness, rivet geometry, material properties and loading conditions (Porcaro et al, 2006b), and conducted dynamic tests to assess the rate effect on the behaviour of SPR connections (Porcaro et al, 2008).…”

An experimental and numerical investigation on self-piercing riveting

“…This model was based on the post-process geometry, figure 7a, and corresponding material properties obtained from the riveting process [5]. The 3D model is divided into two sub-groups: the internal part and the external part.…”

Experimental investigation and design method for the shear strength of self-piercing rivet connections in thin-walled steel structures

“…Voelkner [13] suggested that the overall thickness of the connected sheets shall not be greater than 6 mm for SPR connections. Parameter analysis of SPR connections under different combinations of sheet materials was presented in Porcaro et al [14,15], their results suggested that thickness and material properties of sheets had significant influence on the shear strength. Li and Han [16,17] concluded that the edge distance had effect on dynamic fatigue strength and static behavior of SPR aluminum joints.…”