Influence of thickness of composite layers on failure behaviors of carbon fiber reinforced plastics/aluminum alloy electromagnetic riveted lap joints under high-speed loading

•The failure behaviors of CFRP/Al electromagnetic riveted joints under high-speed loading were investigated.•The full field strain of CFRP/Al sheets during failure behaviors was analyzed.•The corresponding relationship between failure mode and CFRP sheet thickness was revealed. Electromagnetic riveting (EMR) has the better riveting quality and more suitable for joining composite materials than traditional riveting. In this work, the failure process of electromagnetic riveted joints was investigated during high speed loading. Mechanical properties of sheet thickness specimens were tested by a high speed tensile machine with a loading speed of 5 m/s. The failure process and fracture mechanism was revealed using digital image correlation (DIC) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). With the increase of CFRP sheet thickness, strain cloud maps demonstrated that the deformation of aluminum alloy plate was more and more severe until the rivet broke from. The failure position of the specimens was transferred from CFRP sheet to aluminum alloy sheet and rivet. The failure modes of specimens were that the carbon fibers were cut off, or forcibly stripped and stratified. The riveted hole of the aluminum alloy plate was turned outward, and the rivet was cut and broken down under the high speed loading. [Display omitted]