Fatigue behaviour of self-piercing riveting of aluminium blanks and carbon fibre composite panels

Abstract

In this article, the fatigue behaviour of self-piercing riveted joints in 2024-T6 aluminium sheets and carbon fibre composite panels is studied through experimental tests and numerical simulations. This study, aimed to evaluate the best process conditions and the mechanical behaviour of the joint itself, can be divided into few phases: the first one in which the static mechanical behaviour was investigated in order to evaluate the best process conditions (such as the best value of oil pressure of the riveting system) and the second one which had the purpose to determine the fatigue behaviour of the joint. Finally, a finite element method analysis of the riveting process was developed in order to compare the obtained results with the experimental ones. The joining process was simulated using a finite element method code specific for plastic deformation processes, namely DEFORM™, to predict the deformed shape and mechanical fastening mechanism. Results showed how this procedure can be a powerful tool to carry out a proper computer-aided process engineering. The experimental tests showed that the hybrid joint (metal/composite) has good mechanical characteristics both under static and fatigue loads.