A design tool for riveted joints between FRP-laminates and metals.

In practical applications lightweight components from fibre reinforced plastics (FRP) and metals are often combined by riveted joints. Holes, which have therefore to be drilled into the reinforced laminates, cause a wide range of different effects on damage and failure in mechanical loaded structures. Software for the design of the joints which support the designer is actually not available, and it is not possible to predict by intuition the effects on the strength of a joint caused by a variation of laminat parameters or loading case. This contribution introduces a concept for the analysis of riveted joints from FRPs, A software was developed which combines an advanced finite element module for the general analysis of FRP-metal-joints with a user-friendly, interactive user interface. The software is prepared to run via the World Wide Web.