Numerical Study on the Impact of Gap between Sheets on the Quality of Riveted Single-Strap Butt Joints

Some controllable process parameters in the riveting process such as the gap between sheets, have an important impact on the quality of a riveted butt joint. In this paper, the finite element model of a riveted single-strap butt joint is established with the help of ABAQUS analysis software, and the riveting process is simulated under five kinds of gaps between sheets. From the perspectives of rivet upsetting size, rivet interference, radial deformation of sheet, and analysis of residual stress around the hole of sheet, the influence of the gap between sheets on the connection quality of the riveted butt joint is summarized. The results show that the left and right sheets will contact each other and there is extrusion stress between the sheets when the gap is zero. When the applied tensile load continues to increase, due to the influence of the secondary bending, the strap sheet responsible for the connection produces warping deformation, and there will be no further contact between the sheets. When the gap between sheets increases from 0 to 2 mm, the maximum deformation of strap sheets increases from 0.876 to 0.927 mm, which proves that the gap between sheets have no significant effect on the deformation of the strap sheet.