McMaster rates pop rivets in tensile strength as well as shear strength. A 3/16" aluminum blind pop rivet has a shear strength of 310lbs and a tensile strength of 500lbs.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#97447a045/=x968da
If the rivet is holding two plates together, am I right in assuming that shear strength is the force on the blates going in opposite directions perpendicular to the rivet, and the tensile strength is the force required to pull the plates apart parallel to the rivet? Everything I've read about rivets says that they shouldn't be used in tensile applications, so why is the tensile strength so high?