The finite element analysis of the behaviour of airframes subjected to crash or impact
loadings requires the use of suitable finite elements, in particular for the modelling of
riveted assemblies. In order to predict the structure survivability, it is indeed
necessary to focus on these areas because stress concentrations, and consequently crack
initiations, which can lead to catastrophic loss of the airplane, are likely to occur.
Because of the local nature of the phenomenon, the disproportion between the aircraft and
the assembly scale, and the large number of fasteners in a complete structure (more than
100 000), super-elements for the fasteners and for the perforated sheets have been
developed in order to suitably model assemblies in structural calculations. However, these
two types of finite elements can not be currently connected together. The paper presented
here focuses on how to link these finite elements.