KEVOS® MAKEOS · Fasteners
Riveted Joint Strength by Joint Type (Lap, Cover Plate and Butt Joints)
For a single or double riveted lap joint, a lap joint with an inside cover plate, or a double or triple riveted butt joint, what load can each way of failing carry, which one governs, and what is the joint efficiency and safe load over my seam length?
Strength of riveted joints by the handbook’s formulas for six joint types: the resistances to shearing the rivets (πd²/4 times the number of rivet shear areas), tearing the plate between rivets ((P − D) t St, (P − 2D) t St, (P − 1½D) t St), crushing in front of the rivets (d t Sc) and the combined modes, the least of which is the safe load per pitch, the efficiency against the solid plate (P t St) and the safe load over the seam length, with the allowable stresses you enter.
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How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Joint type | choice | Joint arrangement as listed in the handbook’s riveted joint formulas. |
| Rivet diameter d (for shear and crushing) | mm | Diameter of the rivet, used for its shear area and crushing area. |
| Rivet hole diameter D (for tearing) | mm | Diameter of the rivet hole, used for the net plate width when tearing. |
| Plate thickness t | mm | Thickness of the main plate. |
| Cover plate thickness tc (triple butt joint) | mm | Thickness of one cover plate; used in the triple-riveted butt joint. |
| Pitch of the rivets p (lap joints) or inner row | mm | Pitch along the seam of a lap joint, the repeating length of the joint. |
| Pitch of the outer row P (cover plate and butt joints) | mm | Pitch of the outer row, the repeating length of cover plate and butt joints. |
| Allowable shear stress of the rivets Ss | MPa | Allowable shear stress of the rivet from your code or practice. |
| Allowable tensile stress of the plate St | MPa | Allowable tensile stress of the plate from your code or practice. |
| Allowable bearing (crushing) stress Sc | MPa | Allowable bearing stress of rivet and plate from your code or practice. |
| Length of the seam | mm | Length of the riveted seam that carries the load. |
| Load the seam must carry (0 = no check) | kN | Load the whole seam must carry, if you want it checked. |
| Edge distance to the rivet centres | mm | Distance from the plate edge to the centres of the edge rivets. |
What each input means
Open an input to see what it is, its units, the worked example and the common mistakes, with a small diagram.
What this means: Joint type
- What it is
- Arrangement of plates, cover plates and rows of rivets in the joint.
- Units and format
- Choose one of 6 options from the list: Single-riveted lap joint; Double-riveted lap joint; Single-riveted lap joint with inside cover plate; Double-riveted lap joint with inside cover plate; Double-riveted butt joint; Triple-riveted butt joint.
- Example
- The form opens with “Single-riveted lap joint” selected as a worked example. Choose the option that matches your case.
- Effect on the result
- Sets the ways of failing and their formulas.
- Get it right
- Count the rows on each side of the joint and see whether the plates overlap or butt.
What this means: Rivet diameter d (for shear and crushing)
- What it is
- Diameter of the rivet shank used for its shear area and crushing area.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in mm: millimetres. The form accepts 0.000001 mm to 200 mm. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 15.875 mm as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Shear resistance rises with its square, crushing in proportion.
- Get it right
- Use the rivet size; the handbook examples use it for shear and bearing.
What this means: Rivet hole diameter D (for tearing)
- What it is
- Diameter of the drilled or punched hole the rivet fills.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in mm: millimetres. The form accepts 0.000001 mm to 200 mm. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 17.4625 mm as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Reduces the net plate width that resists tearing.
- Get it right
- The handbook examples take holes 1/16 in (1.6 mm) larger than the rivet.
What this means: Plate thickness t
- What it is
- Thickness of the main plates joined by the rivets.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in mm: millimetres. The form accepts 0.000001 mm to 200 mm. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 6.35 mm as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Tearing and crushing resistances rise in proportion.
- Get it right
- Use the thinner plate if the two plates differ.
What this means: Cover plate thickness tc (triple butt joint)
- What it is
- Thickness of one cover plate in a triple-riveted butt joint.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in mm: millimetres. The form accepts 0.000001 mm to 200 mm. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 7.9375 mm as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Raises the crushing resistance of the triple butt joint.
- Get it right
- Measure one strap; it is only used for crushing in front of five rivets.
What this means: Pitch of the rivets p (lap joints) or inner row
- What it is
- Spacing of the rivets along the seam in a lap joint, or of the inner row.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in mm: millimetres. The form accepts 0.000001 mm to 5000 mm. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 50.8 mm as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- For lap joints it is the repeating length and sets the tearing width.
- Get it right
- Measure centre to centre along the seam.
What this means: Pitch of the outer row P (cover plate and butt…
- What it is
- Spacing of the outer row of rivets in cover plate and butt joints.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in mm: millimetres. The form accepts 0.000001 mm to 5000 mm. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 101.6 mm as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Sets the tearing widths and the solid plate strength.
- Get it right
- Measure centre to centre of the outer row; it is the repeating length of the joint.
What this means: Allowable shear stress of the rivets Ss
- What it is
- Shear stress you allow in the rivets under the working load.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in MPa: megapascals (1 MPa = 1 N/mm²). The form accepts 0.000001 MPa to 2000 MPa. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 58.605 MPa as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Shear resistances rise in proportion.
- Get it right
- Take it from the code, practice or specification you design to.
What this means: Allowable tensile stress of the plate St
- What it is
- Tensile stress you allow in the plate under the working load.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in MPa: megapascals (1 MPa = 1 N/mm²). The form accepts 0.000001 MPa to 2000 MPa. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 68.948 MPa as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Tearing resistances and the solid plate strength rise in proportion.
- Get it right
- Take it from the code, practice or specification you design to.
What this means: Allowable bearing (crushing) stress Sc
- What it is
- Bearing stress you allow between the rivets and the plate.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in MPa: megapascals (1 MPa = 1 N/mm²). The form accepts 0.000001 MPa to 5000 MPa. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 137.9 MPa as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Crushing resistances rise in proportion.
- Get it right
- Take it from the code, practice or specification you design to.
What this means: Length of the seam
- What it is
- Length of the riveted seam that shares the load.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in mm: millimetres. The form accepts 0.000001 mm to 1000000 mm. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 304.8 mm as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- The seam load is the load per pitch times the number of pitches.
- Get it right
- Measure along the seam over the rivets that carry the load.
What this means: Load the seam must carry (0 = no check)
- What it is
- Total load the riveted seam has to carry in service.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in kN: kilonewtons (1 kN = 1000 N). The form accepts 0 kN to 1000000 kN. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 60 kN as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Compared with the safe load of the seam.
- Get it right
- Include the factors your code requires, or enter 0 to skip the check.
What this means: Edge distance to the rivet centres
- What it is
- Distance from the edge of the plate to the centres of the nearest rivets.
- Units and format
- Enter a number in mm: millimetres. The form accepts 0.000001 mm to 5000 mm. Required: the tool does not calculate until every input is valid.
- Example
- The form opens with 25 mm as a worked example. It is an illustration, not a recommended value: replace it with your own figure.
- Effect on the result
- Below 1.5 d the plate may tear or shear out to the edge.
- Get it right
- Measure square to the edge; the handbook places rivets 1.5 diameters in.
Method and formulas
- Lap joints repeat every p; cover plate and butt joints every P. Rivet shear area = πd²/4 per shear plane.
- Single lap: πd²/4 Ss; (p − D) t St; d t Sc. Double lap: 2πd²/4 Ss; (p − D) t St; 2 d t Sc.
- Single lap with inside cover: (P − D) t St; (P − 2D) t St + πd²/4 Ss; 3πd²/4 Ss; 3 t d Sc; (P − 2D) t St + t d Sc. Double lap with inside cover: (P − D) t St; 4πd²/4 Ss; (P − 1½D) t St + πd²/4 Ss; 4 t d Sc; (P − 1½D) t St + t d Sc.
- Double butt: (P − D) t St; 5πd²/4 Ss; (P − 2D) t St + πd²/4 Ss; 3 t d Sc; (P − 2D) t St + t d Sc. Triple butt: (P − D) t St; 9πd²/4 Ss; (P − 2D) t St + πd²/4 Ss; 4 d t Sc + πd²/4 Ss; 4 d t Sc + d tc Sc.
- Safe load per pitch = least resistance; efficiency = that ÷ (pitch × t × St); seam load = safe load per pitch × seam length ÷ pitch. Edge distance should be at least 1.5 rivet diameters.
- Example: the joint carries 69.599 kN over the seam at an efficiency of 52.155 %.
Limitations
- The formulas assume the load is shared equally by the rivets and the stresses are evenly spread, as the handbook’s simplified design assumptions do.
- Allowable stresses are set by the code, practice or specification you design to and are entered by you.
- Tearing or shearing out to the plate edge is avoided by the edge distance, not calculated.
- Example values are illustrations. Replace them with values for your actual task.
Typical uses
- Find the governing failure of a riveted seam
- Compare lap, cover plate and butt joints for a plate
- Check the safe load of a riveted joint over its length
Who it is for
- Machine designers
- Structural designers
- Fabricators
What you get
- Resistance of each way of failing per pitch
- Governing (least) resistance and joint efficiency
- Safe load over the seam length
- Edge distance check
Interpreting the result
- The handbook’s worked examples use the rivet diameter for shear and bearing and the hole diameter for tearing; enter the same value in both to use the hole diameter throughout.
- A joint efficiency is the joint strength as a share of the solid plate strength.
References
- Machinery’s Handbook, 29th edition (Industrial Press, 2012), printed pp. 1731–1734. Topic reference; no source tables or recommended settings are reproduced.
Learn the Concepts Behind This Tool
These KEVOS® Library readings explain the method this tool uses, with worked examples.
Useful alongside · Library collection
Choosing a joining method: bolting, welding, riveting, adhesives and brazing compared
In Machine Elements and Mechanical Design
What it covers: How parts are joined decides strength, cost, weight, serviceability and corrosion life. How to compare bolting, welding, riveting, bonding and brazing, and choose the right one.
KEVOS® tools are screening and decision-support utilities. Verify important financial, engineering, safety, legal or operational decisions using appropriate professional standards and your organisation’s approved data.
Open the Riveted Joint Strength by Joint Type (Lap, Cover Plate and Butt Joints) calculator