In this section, we have shown how the global bending stiffness requirement can
be flowed down to identify the required properties of individual beams and joints.
We used a simple Finite Element Analysis of the side frame to predict deflections
and also element strain energy. Strain energy informed us regarding which beams
have the most influence on global bending stiffness. We have also shown how joint
stiffness plays an important role in global bending stiffness performance.
Often the structural element which most influences global bending stiffness is a joint
rather than a beam element. In the following section, we look at principles of joint
design for stiffness.