Determination of Mechanical Properties of Blind Rivet Joints Using Numerical Simulations and Experimental Testing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Structural Analysis

Background:

• Blind rivets offer efficient, single-sided assembly for structural applications in aerospace and automotive sectors.
• Galvanized steel sheets are common, but joint performance varies with rivet material and load conditions.
• Understanding joint behavior is crucial for ensuring structural integrity and corrosion resistance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the tensile performance of blind rivet joints in galvanized steel under shear and normal loads.
• To compare the behavior of galvanized steel and stainless steel blind rivets.
• To develop and validate a methodology for calibrating finite element analysis (FEA) models for rivet joint design.

Main Methods:

• Experimental testing of single-lap shear, double-lap shear, and normal load tests on two rivet types (St/St and A2/A2) with DX51D + Z275 steel sheets.
• Utilized custom-built equipment for controlled force application simulating practical loading.
• Employed finite element analysis (FEA) for simulation and validated against experimental data using ANSYS OptiSLang.

Main Results:

• Distinct differences in load-bearing capacity and failure modes were observed between galvanized steel and stainless steel rivets.
• Experimental data provided a basis for validating FEA simulations.
• A calibration methodology achieved 92.53% agreement between FEA and experimental results, enhancing simulation reliability.

Conclusions:

• Material choice significantly impacts blind rivet joint performance in galvanized steel.
• The proposed FEA calibration method improves the accuracy of numerical simulations for rivet joint design.
• Findings offer practical recommendations for assessing and optimizing blind rivet connections in engineering applications.