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BOEING DESIGN MANUAL BDM–6535

BDM–6535

INTER–RIVET BUCKLING

REV B 31–JUL–1998

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Technical Review Date Page

REVISION NOTICE 2
1 INTRODUCTION 01–NOV–1989 3
2 INTER–RIVET BUCKLING STRESS 01–NOV–1989 3
2.1 Post–Buckling Behavior 01–NOV–1989 3
2.2 Effect of Rivet Spacing and Diameter 01–NOV–1989 5
3 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE 01–NOV–1989 5

BDM–6535

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BOEING DESIGN MANUAL BDM–6535
0 REVISION NOTICE

This revision notice provides a brief description of the changes made within this standard. This standard should be
reviewed in detail to determine the total extent of the revision. Areas that contain technical changes (changes in
requirements) are noted in the margin of this standard with a revision bar.

Revision Synopsis: Revision B does not change the technical content of this document. This document was converted
to version 5 of Interleaf to make sure that it will be accessible from the web based version of PSDS.

Revision Description:

INTER–RIVET BUCKLING BDM–6535

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BOEING DESIGN MANUAL BDM–6535
1 INTRODUCTION
This BDM presents a methodology for the evaluation of the A fixity coefficient of c = 3.5 is commonly used when pro-
inter–rivet buckling stress of stiffened compression panels. truding–head fasteners or spot welds are employed for skin–
The methodology draws upon certain key results from the fol- stringer attachment. For attachments utilizing countersunk
lowing experimental and analytical studies: rivets or rivets in dimpled joints, tests on flat stiffened panels
References suggest a fixity coefficient of c = 2.3. Substituting these val-
ues of c in the above expression, the following simple results
1. Howland, W.L., “Effect of Rivet Spacing on Stiffened
are obtained:
Thin Sheet Under Compression,” Journal of Aerospace
Sciences, Vol. 3, No. 12, Oct. 1936.
F ir
+ 2.9 2
2. Gerard, G., “Handbook of Structural Stability,” Part V, Et (sńt)
NACA, TN 3785, Aug. 1957.
(For protruding–head fasteners and spot welds)
3. J.E. Mooney, et. al., “Compression Panel Analysis,” SST
Technology Follow–On Program, Phase I, Report F ir
No. FAA–SS–72–12 (Boeing Doc. D6–60212), July
+ 1.9 2
Et (sńt)
1972.
(For countersunk rivets and rivets in dimpled joints)
4. BDM–6530, “Effective Width”.
A plot of Fir /Et corresponding to each of the above cases is
shown in FIGURE 2–1.
5. BDM–4051, “2024”.
Although the fixity coefficient of 2.3 was obtained from tests
6. BDM–4090, “7075”. on flat stiffened panels with countersunk rivets, it is recom-
mended that this same value also be used for curved panels
Stiffened panels are normally designed with fastener spacings when counter–sunk rivets or dimpled joints are used, unless
that would prevent buckling of the skin between fasteners at a higher fixity coefficient can be justified by verification test-
stresses below the ultimate compressive strength of the at- ing.
tached stiffeners. This same philosophy was also used in ar-
2.1 Post–Buckling Behavior
riving at the expression for the skin effective width, We , in
BDM–6530 “Effective Width”, § 2.
When a panel is loaded beyond the inter–rivet buckling capac-
2 INTER–RIVET BUCKLING STRESS ity of its skin, the skin will continue to carry the load at incipi-
ent buckling. However, no additional load is carried since the
behavior of the skin is that of a wide column (wherein failure
To avoid buckling of the skin between the fasteners attaching
and buckling are essentially coincident). In this case, the av-
the stiffener to the skin, the compressive stress in the skin must
erage ultimate strength of the riveted panel may be computed
not exceed the allowable stress, Fir , given by:
from the following equation:
cp 2 Et
F ir + ρ F ir A e ) F c A st
(sń ) 2 (F u) avg +
A e ) A st
where where
Fir = allowable inter–rivet buckling stress Ae = total effective area of the skin corresponding to
c = end fixity coefficient the inter–rivet buckling stress, Fir (see
Et = tangent modulus of skin at stress Fir BDM–6530)

s = fastener pitch (spacing) Ast = cross–sectional area of the stringer

ρ = radius of gyration of skin + tńǸ12 Fc = Ultimate compressive strength of the stringer
t = skin thickness at skin–stringer attachment line

INTER–RIVET BUCKLING BDM–6535

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2.1 Post–Buckling Behavior (Continued)

FIGURE 2–1 ALLOWABLE INTER–RIVET BUCKLING STRESS

INTER–RIVET BUCKLING BDM–6535

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BOEING DESIGN MANUAL BDM–6535
2.2 Effect of Rivet Spacing and Diameter
With the increasing use of heavier skin gauges which ap- Step 1: Compute the Inter–Rivet Buckling Stress, Fir
proach or exceed the stringer thickness, inter–rivet buckling
is rarely a factor in decreasing the strength of short stiffened With the rivets spaced at 0.875 inches,
panels. Nevertheless, it has been observed that rivet spacing
F ir
and diameter are both factors of considerable importance in + 2.9 2 + 2.9
achieving strength levels for short riveted panels that are com- Et (sńt) (0.875ń0.062) 2
parable to those of their integrally–stiffened counterparts.
+ 0.01456 inńin
Test data on Z–stiffened panels indicate that the strength of
panels of moderate slenderness ratio (e.g., L eff / ρp ≈ 35,
Referring to the applicable tangent modulus plot
of 2024–T3 aluminum clad sheet (BDM–4051
where ρp is the radius of gyration of the panel comprising
“2024”) with a strain of 0.01456 in/in, one finds:
both the effective skin and the stringers) is affected consider-
ably less than that of short panels by rivet spacing and diame- Et = 2,400 ksi
ter variations. For long panels ( L eff / ρp ≈ 60), the effects and
of rivets configuration were found to be nearly negligible.
Fir = 34.8 ksi
3 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE

Given: The Z–stiffened panel shown in FIGURE 3–1 is

subjected to compressive loads. The stringers are
formed from 7075–T6 aluminum clad sheets and
the skin is made of 2024–T3 aluminum clad sheet.
The stringers have an ultimate compressive
strength of Fc = 51.28 ksi.

Find: The inter–rivet buckling stress, Fir , and the

Average Ultimate Strength, (Fu )avg.

FIGURE 3–1 Z–STIFFENED PANEL WITH PROTRUDING HEAD FASTENERS

INTER–RIVET BUCKLING BDM–6535

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3 ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE (Continued)
Step 2: Determine Skin Stress Corresponding to the Step 3: Evaluate the Effective Skin Area
Stringer’s Ultimate Strength
From BDM–6530, §2, the effective skin width on
This calculation step is required to determine either side of the attachment line is given by the
whether inter–rivet buckling occurs prior to or af- expression:
ter the ultimate strength of the stringer is attained.
Consulting the applicable secant modulus plot of (W e) red + 0.85t
F ir
F st
ǸFEst
7075–T6 aluminum clad (BDM–4090 “7075”)
with F = Fc = 51.28 ksi, one obtains: Where Fst = Fc = ultimate compressive strength
Est = 9,600 ksi of the stringer and E = modulus of elasticity of the
skin material. With
which corresponds to a stringer strain, å st , of
t = 0.062 in
Fc
å st + + 51.28 + 0.00534 inńin Fst = 51.28 ksi
E st 9600
Now, referring to the secant modulus plot of the
Fir = 34.8 ksi
skin material (2024–T3 Al.), with a strain of E = 9,700 ksi
å = å st = 0.00543 in/in, one finds:
(from FIGURE 3–1)
Esk = 6,800 ksi
and
(W e) red + 0.85(0.062) 34.8
51.28
Ǹ51.28
9700
Fsk = 36.2 ksi
Comparing Fsk with the inter–rivet buckling + 0.4919 in
stress of 34.8 ksi (calculated in Step 1 above), it is
concluded that inter–rivet buckling of the skin oc-
curs before the ultimate strength of the stringer is Therefore, the effective skin area is (see
reached. Therefore, the expression presented in BDM–6530, FIGURE 2–1, case 1)
§2.1 for the average ultimate strength of the panel
is applicable; i.e., Ae = 2(We )red t = 2(0.4919)(0.062)
F ir A e ) F c A st
(F u) avg + = 0.0610 in2
A e ) A st

Step 4: Determine Average Ultimate Strength of the

Panel

Having determined Ae , the average ultimate

strength of the panel can finally be evaluated from
the expression given in §2.1; thus,

(34.8)(0.0610) ) (51.28)(0.154)
(F u) avg +
0.0610 ) 0.154
+ 46.6 ksi

INTER–RIVET BUCKLING BDM–6535

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