The capacity of soil to be molded when wet, i.e., to change shape in response to stress and to maintain that shape when the stress is removed is termed

The capacity of the soil to be molded wet, i.e. to change shape in response to stress and to maintain that shape when the stress is removed is termed Plasticity.
The plasticity of soil is its ability to undergo deformation without cracking. It is an important index property of fine-grained soil, especially for clayey soils.