Evaluation of joint quality and shear performance of high-frequency induction-heating riveting

Abstract

This study evaluates the joint quality and shear performance of riveted joints fabricated using induction heating (IH) through experiments and simulations. Riveting specimens fabricated using three IH processes (IHA, IHB, and IHC) were compared with coke-heating (CH) specimens. Temperature measurements revealed that the IHA process provided more uniform heating of the rivet shank than the IHB and IHC processes, resulting in improved hole filling and joint formation. Metallographic observations indicated that the higher riveting temperatures achieved by the IHA process promoted the formation of bainitic microstructures, contributing to enhanced joint strength. Shear experiments on single-rivet specimens showed that all specimens exceeded the design shear capacity. A systematic analytical framework for evaluating the shear performance of IH-riveted joints was developed, including a thermo-mechanical coupled finite element model for the riveting process and a quasi-static finite element model for the shear process. The numerical results agreed well with the experimental results in terms of temperature history, residual stress distribution, and shear failure behavior. The results further indicate that IH riveting did not adversely affect the base plates. Residual stress analyses further suggested that the IHA process produced a residual stress state comparable to that of the CH method, indicating a negligible influence on the fatigue performance of the joints. In addition, the shear strength of the best-performing IHA specimens approached that of the CH specimens.