What does stiffness have to do with strength? Well, engineers may remember learning about composite beam design, column design, or beams with compression reinforcing. Courses that included these topics introduced the “n” Factor. That is the factor that defines the ratio of the moduli of elasticity between materials. It is used in calculations to convert the stiffness of different materials to a common one. This was the foundation for understanding that stiffness plays a role in the distribution of forces in a section.

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