A rivet is a round rod used to join metal parts. It has a head on one end and a shank on the other. Common metals for rivets include steel, iron, copper and aluminum. Riveting involves placing a rivet through holes in parts to join and forming the shank end into a head. Riveted joints are permanent fastenings commonly used to join boiler plates, storage tanks, and structural elements like bridges. There are two main types of riveted joints: lap joints and butt joints.