In engineering mechanics, stiffness is a value that describes the extent to which an object can resist against the deformation due to an external action (torque or force).
The stiffness depends on the following factors:
- Geometry of the object
- Material properties (modulus of elasticity and shear modulus)
Generally, there is a distinction made between different types of stiffness, such as strain stiffness, torsional stiffness, and bending stiffness. The distinction depends on the type of load. The reciprocal value of the stiffness is the flexibility.
