CHAPTER IV – RIVETED JOINTS

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of riveted joints. In the majority of built-up structures the several members are united by riveted joints, and the strength of the joints is just as important as the strength of the members themselves. Unfortunately, the strength of riveted joints cannot be calculated with any degree of certainty, and practical design usually depends on empirical formulae based on experience. It is evident that, if the rivets are carrying any load, they must be acting as stops to check the relative movements of the plates. But, as long as the friction forces are great enough, there will be no relative movement, and the rivets will not bear any load; as soon as slip occurs, the rivets are acted on by shearing forces in the planes separating the cover plates from the main plates. It is obvious that a uniform distribution of load among the rivets cannot be attained unless the line of action of the resultant force acting on the joint passes through the centroid of the rivet-holes, and, at the same time, the rivets are symmetrically disposed with regard to the resultant force.