Structures can often be considered to be composed of a combination of tension and torsion members and beams. Each of these members can be analyzed separately to determine its force-deflection relationship and its spring rate. It is possible, then, to obtain the deflection of a structure by considering it as an assembly of springs having various series and parallel relationships.
(a) What is the overall spring rate of three springs in series?
(b) What is the overall spring rate of three springs in parallel?
(c) What is the overall spring rate of a single spring in series with a pair of parallel springs?