plastisuutta

Plastisuutta, or plasticity, refers to the capacity of a material or system to undergo permanent changes in shape, structure, or function in response to external forces or experiences. In materials science, it denotes irreversible deformation after the yield point. More broadly, plasticity describes the ability of living systems to adapt and reorganize in response to stimuli over time.

Within materials science, plasticity describes permanent deformation that remains after removing the load and is associated with mechanisms such as dislocation motion and diffusion. The typical stress–strain curve shows an elastic region, followed by yielding and a plastic region in which deformation accumulates. Temperature, composition, grain structure, and strain rate influence the degree of plastisuutta.

In soil science, the plasticity of fine-grained soils is quantified by indices such as the liquid limit, plastic limit, and the plasticity index (PI). These measures estimate how a soil will behave under moisture variation and loading and are important in geotechnical design and construction.

In biology and neuroscience, plasticity refers to the brain's and nervous system's capacity to change in response to learning, development, injury, or aging. Neuroplasticity involves changes in synaptic strength and connectivity, supporting adaptation, memory formation, and recovery after damage.

Plastisuutta thus serves as a framework for understanding adaptability across disciplines, informing material selection, product design, and strategies for education and ecological resilience in changing environments.