Results of an experimental research on the influence of several factors on the fatigue behaviour of simple riveted lap joint specimens under constant amplitude loading conditions are presented. The variables considered are the rivet type and material, sheet material and the squeeze force. Also, the effect of sheet thickness staggering in the overlap region on the joint fatigue life is studied in the context of secondary bending. The measurements of the driven head dimensions for a range of squeeze force levels and fatigue test results for rivets installed with various squeeze forces indicate that the squeeze stress rather than the rivet driven head dimensions is a safe standard for the quality of the rivet installation. The superior fatigue performance of a rivet with the compensator compared to the round head and universal rivet is noted. The underlying reason is the better hole filling achieved due to the presence of the compensator. Fatigue lives observed for the staggered thickness specimens are consistently longer than for the standard specimens. The analysis of these preliminary results suggests that a primary reason for the improved fatigue performance is the reduction of secondary bending.
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