The low pull-through strength of mechanically fastened joints in composites is well known. The failure mode is frequently by the fastener head pulling through the laminate. Because experimental studies on multi-row joints in fibre metal laminates (ARALL and GLARE) have demonstrated a significant rivet strength reduction due to a similar failure mode, the problem assumes new importance. A pull-through strength prediction model based on limit analysis is developed for both conventional metallic shet materials and fibre metal laminates. A simple formula is derived which shows the dependence on sheet-thickness/rivet diameter ratio and on the material properties of the sheet. The theoretical predictions are compared with available results in the literature, and with further experiments performed on aluminium alloy and GLARE specimens. Good correlation is obtained.NOTATIOND Rivet diameter (mm)M p Fully plastic bending moment (Nmm)M r r , M θ θ Bending moments per unit length (Nmm)N θ θ Circumferential force (N)n A 1 Number of aluminium sheets in the fibre metal laminateN p Limit force in tension (N)P Rivet tensile load (N)r Polar coordinate (mm)r b Radius of rivet (mm)r c Radius of critical area enabling rivet pull-through (mm)r e Radius of the area over which lateral displacement takes place (mm)r f Radius of the footprint of the rivet (mm)R Pull-through strength divided by the tensile strength of the rivet shankt Sheet thickness (mm)t A 1 Thickness of aluminium layer (mm)t p r Thickness of prepreg layer (mm)u Radial displacement (mm)U Energy dissipation (Nmm)U b Dissipation of energy on the yield circle r e (Nmm)U p Energy dissipation in the sheet (Nmm)U t o t Total potential energy (Nmm)V Shear force (N)w Lateral displacement (mm)w Maximum lateral displacement (mm)W Potential energy of external load (Nmm)z Coordinate normal to plate (mm)β = r c r b γ = r e r b ω θ θ Circumferential strainω m a x Strain at failure of sheet materialκ r r , κ r θ , κ θ θ Curvaturesλ Reduction coefficient for GLAREμ Factor of proportionalityθ Polar coordinateσ Direct stress (MPa)σ t Tensile strength (MPa)σ y Yield stress of aluminium sheet (MPa)τ Shear stress (MPa) Function used in flow ruleEHF Excluding Head Failure of the rivetPTF Pull-Through Failure of the sheetRSF Rivet Shear Failure of the head