In　order　to　introduce　self-piercing　riveting　(SPR)　with　high　connection　efficiency　and　industrialization　into　cold-formed　thin-walled　steel　structure,　the　tension　tests　for　84　groups　of　SPR　by　thin-walled　steel　sheet　were　conducted.　The　steel　sheet　thickness,　thickness　ratio,　combination　detail　of　steel　sheet　and　rivet　length　were　discussed　for　their　effects　on　tension　property　and　failure　mode　of　SPR.　The　applicability　of　the　existing　calculation　methods　of　tensile　strength　of　SPR　and　the　design　methods　of　tensile　capacity　of　self-drilling　screw　in　various　specifications　was　also　investigated.　The　research　also　proposed　calculation　method　of　tension　capacity　of　SPR　and　design　method　based　on　the　allowable　strength　design.　The　results　show　that　the　thickness　ratio　(t2/t1)　was　a　key　factor　affecting　the　failure　mode　of　SPR,　and　pull-out　of　rivet　tail　from　the　bottom　steel　sheet　occurs　for　1≤t2/t12/t1≥1.5.　Steel　sheet　thickness　and　rivet　length　have　significant　influence　on　tensile　properties,　and　the　tension　capacity　increases　linearly　with　the　increase　of　both.　Combination　detail　of　steel　sheet　has　a　great　influence　on　the　tensile　properties　and　failure　modes,　and　the　thinner　sheet　in　contact　with　rivet　head　could　effectively　improve　tension　capacity　and　deformation　capacity.　Since　the　calculation　results　are　too　conservative　and　the　failure　modes　cannot　be　considered　comprehensively,　the　existing　calculation　methods　are　not　suitable　for　SPR　in　cold-formed　thin-walled　steel.　Compared　with　the　existing　methods,　the　design　method　proposed　in　this　paper　for　tension　capacity　of　SPR　could　include　more　comprehensive　failure　modes,　with　higher　calculation　accuracy.　©　2020,　Editorial　Office　of　Journal　of　Building　Structures.　All　right　reserved.