Results of unaxial and biaxial tests on riveted fuselage lapjoints specimens

Abstract

In the USA uniaxial fatigue tests were carried out for the FAA on riveted lap joint specimens to study the effect of various lap joint parameters on fatigue life and the occurrence of MSD. These test were carried out by Arthur D. Little Co. (ADL) and the Fatigue Technical Institute (FTI). The parameters considered and their levels selected for these tests are shown in table 1. Figure 1 gives some details of the design of the tested panel configurations. The panels were provided with tear straps and a longitudinal stiffener because the specimens had to be representative for fuselage longitudinal lap joints. The results of these tests are compiled in reference 1. Considering MSD it was found from these tests that the stress level and the rivet spacing were the most important lap splice parameters. As part of an FAA-NLR collaborative programme on structural integrity of ageing aircraft NLR carried out fatigue tests on riveted lap joint specimens of similar design as those tested by ADL/FTI, but now both uniaxial and biaxial fatigue tests were performed. The encircled values in table 1 were chosen for the levels of the parameters in the NLR testing programme. In this paper the experimental results obtained are presented.