Engineering English
Plastic Deformation
Materials Engineering · Engineering Fundamentals · Mechanical Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: Permanent change in shape or size of a material when subjected to a stress exceeding its elastic limit. It occurs through dislocation motion and slip in crystalline materials, and is irreversible.
Example in context
“During a tensile test, the material undergoes elastic deformation first, then plastic deformation until it fractures at the ultimate tensile strength.”
“Çekme testi sırasında malzeme önce elastik deformasyona uğrar, ardından nihai çekme mukavemetinde kırılana kadar plastik deformasyon geçirir.”
Where engineers use it
Plastic deformation is studied in tensile tests and metal forming processes; engineers calculate the degree of deformation to ensure structural integrity or to design forming dies.
Synonyms: permanent deformation, yielding
Antonyms: elastic deformation
In Engineering Fundamentals
Irreversible change in shape or size of a solid body due to applied stress beyond the elastic limit. The material does not return to its original shape after unloading.
“Forming operations like bending and stamping rely on controlled plastic deformation to achieve the desired shape.”
In Mechanical Engineering
Plastic deformation is the permanent change in shape or size of a material under stress beyond its elastic limit. It is a key concept in forming processes and structural collapse analysis.
“During the forming operation, the sheet metal underwent plastic deformation to achieve the desired curved shape.”
Practice: can you use “Plastic Deformation” at work?
You are designing a metal bracket that will be cold-formed. The forming process will induce plastic deformation; you need to specify the material's ductility and ensure no cracking occurs during bending.
Show a model answer
“The component must not experience plastic deformation under normal operating loads.”
“Plastic Deformation” in 21 languages
| English | Plastic Deformation |
|---|---|
| Turkish | plastik deformasyon |
| French | déformation plastique |
| German | plastische Verformung |
| Spanish | deformación plástica |
| Chinese | 塑性变形 |
| Arabic | تشوه لدن |
| Portuguese | deformação plástica |
| Russian | пластическая деформация |
| Japanese | 塑性変形 |
| Italian | deformazione plastica |
| Vietnamese | biến dạng dẻo |
| Hindi | प्लास्टिक विरूपण |
| Thai | การเปลี่ยนรูปพลาสติก |
| Indonesian | deformasi plastis |
| Korean | 소성 변형 |
| Bengali | প্লাস্টিক বিকৃতি |
| Dutch | plastische vervorming |
| Swedish | plastisk deformation |
| Finnish | plastinen muodonmuutos |
| Ukrainian | пластична деформація |
Frequently asked questions
What does Plastic Deformation mean in engineering?
Permanent change in shape or size of a material when subjected to a stress exceeding its elastic limit. It occurs through dislocation motion and slip in crystalline materials, and is irreversible. In Materials Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Plastic Deformation?
Plastic Deformation is pronounced /ˈplæstɪk ˌdiːfɔːˈmeɪʃən/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Plastic Deformation used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “During a tensile test, the material undergoes elastic deformation first, then plastic deformation until it fractures at the ultimate tensile strength.”
This entry is one of 7,806 terms in the Engineering English iOS app — with quizzes, spaced repetition and pronunciation checking.
Get the app on the App Store