Development of a new fiber metal laminate variant optimized for cold expansion and riveting of holes

Abstract

The increased use of fiber metal laminates (FML) in aerospace structural applications led to an investigation into whether current FML layups could be improved to provide a better response during cold expansion and riveting of holes. Static measurements of the residual strain during cold expansion of holes were made using digital image correlation. Various grades of FML as well as 2024-T3 aluminum were investigated with the results leading to the design of a new FML layup. Static strength testing of this new FML variant demonstrated that its elastic modulus compared well to more traditional FML.