Finite Element Simulation of Crash Testing of Self-Piercing Rivet Joints, Peel Specimen

Abstract: Within the automotive industry today, companies save significant amounts of money through computer simulations. Mathematics through numerical methods becomes important when as in this case the investigation is done with the Finite Element Method (FEM). A self-pierced rivet (SPR) joint specimen in a T-peel case is studied. The specimen consists of 1.15 mm thick steel sheets with a rivet of 5 mm in waist-diameter. The simulations are performed with the finite element software ABAQUS/Explicit, and involve dynamic inertia effects. The Johnson-Cook plasticity model is used to describe the materials, a deep drawing quality (DDQ) and a dual phase (DP600) steel. Different parameter variations are made. These are for example velocity, friction and material. Displacement velocities of 1, 10, 25 and 100 m/s are evaluated. The results are compiled and assembled to load- and energy-curves. The curves are then compared with the visual deformation process of the specimen. Comparisons with spot- and laser-welded joints are also done. Some results are: • The deformation process was more or less similar at 1, 10 and 25 m/s. • Higher velocity results in higher load levels, higher energy and larger failure displacement. • The DDQ steel shows lower load levels and larger failure displacement than the DP600 steel at all velocities. • The load-displacement curves are quite similar for the spot-welded and SPR cases, except for the oscillating amplitudes where SPR is larger.