Stiffness
Glossary Term
Stiffness is the resistance to elastic deformation due to applied forces or moments.
In engineering mechanics, stiffness is a value that describes the resistance a body can provide against deformation due to external action (torque or force).
The stiffness depends on the following factors:
- Geometry of the solid
- Material properties (modulus of elasticity and shear modulus)
A distinction is generally made between different stiffnesses, such as strain, torsional and bending stiffness. The distinction depends on the type of load. The reciprocal of the stiffness is the compliance.
