Bearing Strength and Failure Mechanisms of Riveted Woven Carbon Composite Joints

This research aimed to determine riveted carbon/epoxy composites’ mechanical performance when fabricated by resin transfer molding (RTM). As this manufacturing process is gaining importance in the aeronautics and automotive industries, assembly methods and their reliability must be studied in terms of their airworthiness and transportation implementation. The study case resumes the determination of the bearing strength of RTM-woven carbon composites for different rivet joint diameters (1/8, 5/32 and 3/16 in). The joint shear strength was obtained following the ASTM D5961 instructions, and post-failure analysis was carried out by a computerized tomography scan. A residual strength curve is provided with the results to infer the bearing strength for the riveted composites as a function of the rivet width-to-diameter ratio. A discussion of the fracture mechanism and tensile strength is carried out to assess the understanding of the riveted woven composites.