Riveted Joints :

Types and Uses

Instructional Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to know:

Basic types of riveted joints.

Different important design parameters of a riveted joint.
Uses of riveted joints.

1. Rivets as permanent joints:

Often small machine components are joined together to form a
larger machine part. Design of joints is as important as that of machine
components because a weak joint may spoil the utility of a carefully
designed machine part.
Mechanical joints are broadly classified into two classes viz., nonpermanent joints and permanent joints.
Non-permanent joints can be assembled and dissembled without
damaging the components. Examples of such joints are threaded
fasteners (like screw-joints), keys and couplings etc.
Permanent joints cannot be dissembled without damaging the
components. These joints can be of two kinds depending upon the
nature of force that holds the two parts. The force can be of
mechanical origin, for example, riveted joints, joints formed by press or
interference fit etc, where two components are joined by applying
mechanical force. The components can also be joined by molecular
force, for example, welded joints, brazed joints, joints with adhesives
etc.
Not until long ago riveted joints were very often used to join structural
members permanently. However, significant improvement in welding

and bolted joints has curtained the use of these joints. Even then,
rivets are used in structures, ship body, bridge, tanks and shells, where
high joint strength is required.

2. Rivets and Riveting:

A Rivet is a short cylindrical rod having a head and a tapered tail. The
main body of the rivet is called shank (see figure 10.1.1). According to Indian
standard specifications rivet heads are of various types. Rivets heads for
general purposes are specified by Indian standards IS: 2155-1982 (below 12
mm diameter) and IS: 1929-1982 (from 12 mm to 48 mm diameter). Rivet
heads used for boiler works are specified by IS: 1928-1978. To get
dimensions of the heads see any machine design handbook..
Head

Shank

Tail

Figure 10.1.2: Rivet and its parts

Riveting is an operation whereby two plates are joined with the help of a
rivet. Adequate mechanical force is applied to make the joint strong and leak
proof. Smooth holes are drilled (or punched and reamed) in two plates to be
joined and the rivet is inserted. Holding, then, the head by means of a backing
up bar as shown in figure 10.1.2, necessary force is applied at the tail end
with a die until the tail deforms plastically to the required shape. Depending
upon whether the rivet is initially heated or not, the riveting operation can be
of two types: (a) cold riveting riveting is done at ambient temperature and
(b) hot riveting rivets are initially heated before applying force. After riveting
is done, the joint is heat-treated by quenching and tempering. In order to

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ensure leak-proofness of the joints, when it is required, additional operation like caulking is done .
Die

Backing up bar

Figure 10.1.2: Riveting operation

3. Types of riveted joints and joint efficiency:

Riveted joints are mainly of two types
1. Lap joints
2. Butt joints

Lap Joints:

The plates that are to be joined are brought face to face such that an overlap exists, as shown in figure
10.1.3. Rivets are inserted on the overlapping portion. Single or multiple rows of rivets are used to give strength
to the joint. Depending upon the number of rows the riveted joints may be classified as single riveted lap joint,
double or triple riveted lap joint etc. When multiple joints are used, the arrangement of rivets between two
neighbouring rows may be of two kinds. In chain riveting the adjacent rows have rivets in the same transverse
line. In zig-zag riveting, on the other hand, the adjascent rows of rivets are staggered. Different types of lap joints
are sketched in figure 10.1.4(a)-4(c).

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Rivet

Figure 10.1.3: Lap joint

Rivet location

Figure 10.1.4(a): Single rivet lap joint

Rivets

Figure 10.1.4(b): Double riveted lap joint, chain

arrangement.

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Rivets

Figure 10.1.4(c): Double riveted lap joint, zig-zag

arrangement.

3.2 Butt Joints

In this type of joint, the plates are brought to each other without forming any overlap. Riveted joints are formed
between each of the plates and one or two cover plates. Depending upon the number of cover plates the butt joints
may be single strap or double strap butt joints. A single strap butt joint is shown in figure 10.1.5. Like lap joints, the
arrangement of the rivets may be of various kinds, namely, single row, double or triple chain or zigzag. A few types
of joints are shown in figure 10.1.6(a)-6(c).
The strength of a rivet joint is measured by its efficiency. The efficiency of a joint is defined as the ratio between
the strength of a riveted joint to the strength of an unrivetted joints or a solid plate. Obviously, the efficiency of the
riveted joint not only depends upon the size and the strength of the individual rivets but also on the overall
arrangement and the type of joints. Usual range of the efficiencies, expressed in percentiles of the commercial
boiler joints are given in table-10.1.1.

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Cover plate
Rivet

Figure 10.1.5: Butt joint with single strap.

Table 10.1.1: Efficiencies of riveted joints (in %)

Joints
Lap

Efficiencies (in %)

Single riveted

50-60

Double riveted

60-72

Triple riveted

72-80

Butt (double

Single riveted

55-60

strap)

Double riveted

76-84

Triple riveted

80-88

Figure 10.1.6(a): Single riveted butt joint with single and double straps

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Figure 10.1.6(b): Double riveted butt joint with single and double straps (chain arrangement)

Figure 10.1.6(c): Double riveted butt joint with single and double straps (zig-zag arrangement)

4. Important terms used in riveted joints:

Few parameters, which are required to specify arrangement of rivets in a riveted joint are as follows:
a) Pitch: This is the distance between two centers of the consecutive rivets in a single row. (usual
symbol p)
b) Back Pitch: This is the shortest distance between two successive rows in a multiple riveted joint.
(usual symbol pt or pb )

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c) Diagonal pitch: This is the distance between the centers of rivets in adjacent rows of zigzag riveted
joint. (usual symbol pd )
d) Margin or marginal pitch: This is the distance between the centre of
the rivet hole to the nearest edge of the plate. (usual symbol m)
These parameters are shown in figure 10.1.7.

Pb

Pd

Figure 10.17: Important design parameters of riveted joint

Review questions and answers:

Q.1.What should be essential qualities of a rivet and its material?
Ans: From the riveting procedure it is clear that a good rivet material must be tough and ductile. Steel (low
carbon), coppers, brass are good candidates for rivets. According to Indian standard IS: 2998-1982 the material
must have tensile strength of 40 MPa and elongation not less that 20 %. Further, the rivet shank must not be bent
0

on itself through 180 without cracking in cold condition. The same test must be done for rivet elevated to 650 C
and quenched.

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Q.2.What are the uses of snap headed, counter shank headed, conical headed and pan headed rivets?
Ans: Snap heads are used mainly for structural work and machine riveting.
Counter shank heads are employed for ship building where flush surfaces are necessary. Conical heads are used
where riveting is done by hand hammering. Pan heads are required where very high strength is needed since they
have the maximum strength, but they are very difficult to shape.

Design of Riveted Joints

Instructional Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to understand:

Basic failure mechanisms of riveted joints.

Concepts of design of a riveted joint.

1. Strength of riveted joint:

Strength of a riveted joint is evaluated taking all possible failure paths in the joint into account. Since rivets
are arranged in a periodic manner, the strength of joint is usually calculated considering one pitch length of the
plate. There are four possible ways a single rivet joint may fail.

a) Tearing of the plate: If the force is too large, the plate may fail in tension along the row (see figure
10.2.1). The maximum force allowed in this case is
P1 =st ( p d)t
where st = allowable tensile stress of the plate material p = pitch
d = diameter of the rivet hole t = thickness of the plate

Failure path in tension

Figure 10.2.1: Failure of plate in tension (tearing)

b) Shearing of the rivet: The rivet may shear as shown in figure 10.2.2. The maximum force withstood by the joint
to prevent this failure is
P2 =s s (

=2 s s (

2
4d ) for lap joint, single strap butt joint

2
4d ) for double strap butt joint where ss =allowable shear stress of the

rivet material.

Figure 10.2.2: Failure of a rivet by shearing

c) Crushing of rivet: If the bearing stress on the rivet is too large the contact surface between the rivet and the
plate may get damaged. (see figure 10.2.3). With a simple assumption of uniform contact stress the maximum
force allowed is
P3 =sc dt
where sc =allowable bearing stress between the rivet and plate material.

Figure 10.2.3: Failure of rivets by

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d) Tearing of the plate at edge: If the margin is too small, the plate may fail as shown in figure 10.2.4. To prevent
the failure a minimum margin of m =1.5d is usually provided.

Figure 10.2.4: Tearing of the plate at the edge

2. Efficiency:
Efficiency of the single riveted joint can be obtained as ratio between the maximum of P1 , P2 and P3 and the
load carried by a solid plate which is st pt . Thus
efficiency ( )=

min{ P1 , P2 , P3}
s
t pt

In a double or triple riveted joint the failure mechanisms may be more than those discussed above. The failure
of plate along the outer row may occur in the same way as above. However, in addition the inner rows may fail.
For example, in a double riveted joint, the plate may fail along the second row. But in order to do that the rivets
in the first row must fail either by shear or by crushing. Thus the maximum allowable load such that the plate
does not tear in the second row is
P4 =st ( p d)t min{+ P2 , P3} .
Further, the joint may fail by
(i) shearing of rivets in both rows
(ii) crushing of rivets in both rows
(iii) shearing of rivet in one row and crushing in the other row.

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The efficiency should be calculated taking all possible failure mechanism into consideration.

3. Design of rivet joints:

The design parameters in a riveted joints are d , p and m
Diameter of the hole ( d ): When thickness of the plate ( t ) is more than 8 mm, Unwins formula is used,
d =6 t mm.
Otherwise d is obtained by equating crushing strength to the shear strength of the joint. In a double riveted
zigzag joint, this implies

s t = d s (valid for t <8 mm)

c
4 s
However, d should not be less than t , in any case. The standard size of d is tabulated in code IS: 1928-1961.

Pitch ( p ): Pitch is designed by equating the tearing strength of the plate to the shear strength of the rivets. In a
double riveted lap joint, this takes the following form.

2
s ( p d )t =s 2( d )
t
s
4
But p 2d in order to accommodate heads of the rivets.

Margin ( m ): m =1.5d .
In order to design boiler joints, a designer must also comply with Indian
Boiler Regulations (I.B.R.).
( pb : usually 0.33 p +0.67d mm)

Review questions and answers:

Q.

1. Two plates of 7 mm thickness are connected by a double riveted lap joint of zigzag pattern. Calculate rivet

diameter, rivet pitch and distance between rows of rivets for the joint. Assume st =90 MPa , ss =60 MPa , sc
=120MPa .
Ans. Since t =7 mm <8mm , the diameter of the rivet hole is selected equating shear strength to the crushing
strength, i.e.,

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2 d2

=2dt s

4
yielding d =17.8 mm . According

to IS code, the standard size is

=19 mm and the corresponding rivet diameter is 18 mm .

Pitch is obtained from the following

2
=2s ( d ) , where d =19 mm
4
t
s
p =54 +19 =73mm

s ( p d )t

[Note:

If the joint is to comply

with I.B.R. specification, then

pmax =c.t +41.28mm , where c is a constant depending upon the type of joint
and is tabulated in the code.]
The distance between the two rivet rows is
p 2
pd =
+ d 37= mm .
3 3

Q.2. A triple riveted butt joint with two unequal cover plates joins two 25 mm plates as shown in the figure below.

Figure: 10.2.5
The rivet arrangement is zigzag and the details are given below: Pitch = 22 cm in outer row and 11 cm
in inner rows,

Rivet diameter = 33 mm
Calculate the efficiency of the joint when the allowable stresses are 75 MPa, 60 MPa and 125 MPa in tension,
shear and crushing, respectively.

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Ans. From code it may be seen that the corresponding rivet hole diameter is 34.5 mm.
To find strength of the joint all possible failure mechanisms are to be considered separately.
(a) Tearing resistance of the plate in outer row:
P1 = ( p dhole ) t sT = (220-34.5) X 25 X 75 = 347.81

kN
(b) Shearing resistance of the rivet:
P

2=4 d 2 s

= 461.86 kN

+d2s
S

4
4
Note that within a pitch length of 22cm four rivets are in double shear while one rivet in single shear.
(c) Crushing resistance of the rivets
P3 = 5 d tsC = 515.62 kN
(d) Shear failure of the outer row and tearing of the rivets in the second
row
=(p
P 2d

)
ts

+ d 2 s = 334.44 kN
4
hole
T
4 S
Note that in second row there are 2 rivets per pitch length and the rivets in outer row undergoes single
shear.
There are other mechanisms of failure of the joint e.g. tearing along the innermost row and shearing or
crushing of rivets in other two rows etc., but all of them will have higher resistance than those considered
above. Hence the efficiency of the joint is

min{P , P , P , P }
1

= 0.8108 ptsT

or when expressed in percentile 81.08 %.

Q.3. How is a rivet joint of uniform strength designed?

Ans. The procedure by which uniform strength in a riveted joint is obtained is known as diamond riveting, whereby
the number of rivets is increased
progressively from the outermost row to the innermost row (see figure below). A common joint, where this type of
riveting is
done, is Lozenge joint used for roof, bridge work etc.

Figure 10.2.6: Diamond riveting in structural joint

Q.

4. Two mild steel tie rods having width 200 mm and thickness 12.5 mm are to be connected by means of a
butt joint with double cover plates. Find the number of rivets needed if the permissible stresses are 80 MPa in
tension,
65 MPa in shear and 160 MPa in crushing.

Ans. As discussed earlier for a structural member Lozenge joint is used which has one rivet in the outer row.
The number of rivets can be obtained equating the tearing strength to the shear or crushing strength of the
joint, i.e., from the equation

2
(b d )ts =2n ( d )s
T
14
s
or (b d )tsT =n2 ( dt ) sc

[Double shear]

where b and t are the width and thickness of the plates to be joined . In the problem b =200 mm , t =12.5 mm ,
sT =80MPa , sc =160 MPa , ss =65MPa and d is obtained from Unwins formula d =6 t mm = 21.2 mm . According to
IS code, the standard rivet hole diameter is 21.5 mm and corresponding rivet diameter is 20 mm. The number of
rivets required is the minimum of the numbers calculated from the above two expressions. It may be checked that
n1 is found out to be 3.89 while n2 is 4.216. Therefore, at least 5 rivets are needed

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