Structural behaviour of aluminium self-piercing riveted joints: An experimental and numerical investigation

Abstract The present paper deals with the structural behaviour of self-piercing riveted joints based on aluminium and steel rivets. Two T-components made of two open aluminium profiles in alloy AA6063 temper T4 joined by 6 and 12 rivets, respectively, were designed and tested under quasi-static loading conditions. A new test device was designed to perform the tests of the T-components under two different load cases. Experimental results of the T-components joined by using aluminium self-piercing rivets were then compared with the corresponding components joined by using steel rivets in terms of force-displacement curves, deformation modes of the components as well as rivet failure modes. Further, the experimental results of the T-components based on aluminium rivets were used to validate a resultant-based point-connector model for self-piercing rivets proposed by Hanssen et al. (2010) using shell elements.

[1]  Xiaocong He,et al.  Self-pierce riveting for sheet materials: State of the art , 2008 .

[2]  Li Han,et al.  A comparison of the mechanical behaviour of self-piercing riveted and resistance spot welded aluminium sheets for the automotive industry , 2010 .

[3]  Frans S.K. Bijlaard,et al.  Experimental behaviour of high strength steel end-plate connections , 2007 .

[4]  Soo-Ik Oh,et al.  Crushing test of double hat-shaped members of dissimilar materials with adhesively bonded and self-piercing riveted joining methods , 2006 .

[5]  F. Barlat,et al.  Plane stress yield function for aluminum alloy sheets—part 1: theory , 2003 .

[6]  Larsgunnar Nilsson,et al.  On constitutive modeling of aluminum alloys for tube hydroforming applications , 2005 .

[7]  O. Querin,et al.  Review on the modelling of joint behaviour in steel frames , 2011 .

[8]  Francesco Vivio,et al.  A new theoretical approach for structural modelling of riveted and spot welded multi-spot structures , 2009 .

[9]  Ali Fatemi,et al.  An experimental investigation of deformation and fatigue behavior of coach peel riveted joints , 2006 .

[10]  M. Langseth,et al.  Joining of aluminium using self-piercing riveting: Testing, modelling and analysis , 2004 .

[11]  M. Langseth,et al.  Crashworthiness of self-piercing riveted connections , 2008 .

[12]  Xin Sun,et al.  Fatigue Behaviors of Self-Piercing Rivets Joining Similar and Dissimilar Sheet Metals , 2007 .

[13]  M. Langseth,et al.  The behaviour of a self-piercing riveted connection under quasi-static loading conditions , 2006 .

[14]  Xin Sun,et al.  Dynamic strength evaluations for self-piercing rivets and resistance spot welds joining similar and dissimilar metals , 2007 .

[15]  M. Langseth,et al.  Self-piercing riveting connections using aluminium rivets , 2010 .

[16]  M. Langseth,et al.  An evaluation of yield criteria and flow rules for aluminium alloys , 1999 .

[17]  P. Mallick,et al.  Fatigue of self-piercing riveted joints in aluminum alloy 6111 , 2003 .

[18]  Yohei Abe,et al.  Plastic Joining of Ultra High Strength Steel and Aluminium Alloy Sheets by Self Piercing Rivet , 2006 .

[19]  Li Han,et al.  Mechanical behaviour of self-piercing riveted multi-layer joints under different specimen configurations , 2007 .

[20]  R. E. Dick,et al.  Plane stress yield functions for aluminum alloy sheets , 2002 .

[21]  M. Langseth,et al.  The effect of the riveting process and aging on the mechanical behaviour of an aluminium self-piercing riveted connection , 2011 .

[22]  C. A. Schley,et al.  A model to describe the high rate performance of self-piercing riveted joints in sheet aluminium , 2011 .

[23]  Toru Kato,et al.  Aluminium Alloy Self-Pierce Riveting for Joining of Aluminium Alloy Sheets , 2009 .

[24]  M. Langseth,et al.  A large-scale finite element point-connector model for self-piercing rivet connections , 2010 .

[25]  Stephen W. Jones,et al.  The analysis of frames with semi-rigid connections — A state-of-the-art report , 1983 .

[26]  Roberto T. Leon,et al.  Advanced finite element modeling of bolted T-stub connection components , 2002 .