rivets in a 1926 building
rivets in a 1926 building
(OP)
I am investigating a building constructed in 1926. How do I determine the diameter of a rivet from the head size? Is there any way to verify the material, if it is A-502 grade 1 or 2 or was some other material used at that point in time?





RE: rivets in a 1926 building
1.75 times the diameter as a general guideline.
There really was no standard back then.
The diameter to the head would be the reciprocal
of 1.75 or .5714 times the head diameter.
RE: rivets in a 1926 building
I agree with Diamondjim. Having had an opportunity to check in my old drafting book, I found that for an American Standard small rivet the diameter of the button head would be 1.75 times the shaft diameter. Also note that the height of the rivet head will also be 0.75 times the shaft diameter. This is only for the button heads and four additional types are depicted. They include flat, countersunk, pan and truss (or wagon box). Each has differing characteristics.
The book is Engineering Drawing by Thomas French, 6th Edition 1941.
RE: rivets in a 1926 building
dated 1934, Design of Machine Elements,
by Faires. The following had 1.75 times D,
the rivet diameter: Straight Base Button Head,
Cone Head, Pan Head, Button Head, and Flat Head.
1.9 times D for Double Radius Button Head,
2.0 times D for Steeple Head,
1.7 times D for Countersunk Head.
It gives the general guideline that the dimensions
may be increased, but must not be decreased
more than ten per cent.
RE: rivets in a 1926 building
RE: rivets in a 1926 building
Diameter of full driven head = 1.5 times rivet diameter plus 1/8”.
(ie: diameter of full driven head of a 1” rivet = 1.625”)
Depth of full driven head = .425 times head diameter.
(ie: depth of full driven head of a 1” rivet = 11/16”)
Diameter of a countersunk head = 1.577 times rivet diameter.
Depth of a countersunk head = .5 times rivet diameter.
This same reference lists the ultimate tensile strength of rivet steel for buildings and bridges as 46 ksi to 56 ksi, with the yield strength (elastic limit) as one half of the tensile strength (23 to 28 ksi).
Also included in this reference was the American Bridge Company Specifications for Steel Structures (adopted 1912), which lists the following allowable stresses for rivets:
Shear on shop rivets = 12,000 psi
Shear on field rivets = 10,000 psi
Bearing pressure on shop rivets = 24,000 psi
Bearing pressure on field rivets = 20,000 psi
For comparison purposes, the former ASTM A141 rivet steel (comparable to present day A502 Grade 1), has an ultimate tensile strength of 52 to 62 ksi.
Hope this helps.
RE: rivets in a 1926 building