Stress analysis and strength evaluation of single-lap adhesive joints combined with rivets (i.e. single-lap riveted-adhesive joints) under external bending moments are investigated by three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA). In this analysis, the effects of the ratio of Young's moduli of the rivets to that of the adherends and the initial tightening force produced in the process of fitting the rivets on the stress distributions at the interfaces between the adherends and the adhesives are examined. The rupture process of single-lap riveted-adhesive joints is demonstrated through simulating three debonded cases. Experiments to measure the strengths of single-lap riveted-adhesive joints, single-lap riveted joints, and single-lap adhesive joints were carried out. The following results were obtained: (1) for thinner adherends, riveted-adhesive joints, riveted joints, and adhesive joints were of the same strength; (2) of the three types of joints, the strength of single-lap riveted-adhesive joints was the greatest and that of single-lap riveted joints was the lowest in the case of thicker adherends; (3) the predicted strengths coincided with the experimental results.