Effect of Riveting Angle and Direction on Fatigue Performance of Riveted Lap Joints

Riveting is the most commonly used connection method in aircraft assembly, and its quality has a crucial effect on the fatigue performance of aircraft. Many factors affect the riveting quality, among which the influence of the riveting angle and direction is not clear. In this paper, a three-dimensional finite element model of single-rivet lap joints is established and verified by the driven head geometry and the riveting force data obtained from the riveting experiments. Then, by adjusting the angle and direction of the punch in the finite element model, the riveting process is simulated at the angles of 0°, 1°, 2°, and 3° and the directions of 0° and 180° to investigate the deformation of the lap joints, the stress distribution around the hole, and the stress distribution of the rivet. Finally, the fatigue tests of the single-rivet lap joints are performed and the influence of the riveting angle and direction on the connection quality and fatigue performance of the riveting joints is analyzed.