A 2D Approach to Predict the High‐Cycle Fatigue Life of Clinched Joints

Clinching is a widely adopted joining technique in the automotive industry, enabling the fabrication of lightweight structures from dissimilar sheet materials. Accurate prediction of the fatigue life of clinched joints is essential for ensuring structural safety and minimizing development costs. However, full 3D fatigue simulations over millions of cycles are computationally intensive due to the complexity of contact mechanics. This study introduces a 2D numerical model that circumvents direct contact modeling by applying a slip condition at the sheet interface, significantly reducing computational demands. A micro‐slip friction model is used to represent the mechanical interface behavior, while a two‐scale damage model captures the fatigue damage evolution. The model is validated against experimental data and used to investigate the influence of friction coefficient and tangential contact stiffness on fatigue life, highlighting its efficiency and predictive capability.