rbn rslnc hs cnvntnlly bn dfnd s th "msrbl blty f ny rbn systm, wth ts nhbtnts, t mntn cntnty thrgh ll shcks nd strsss, whl pstvly dptng nd trnsfrmng twrds sstnblty". rbn rslnc cn b sd t dscrb th chng n strctr nd fnctn f rbn rs.
Thrfr, rslnt cty s n tht sssss, plns nd cts t prpr fr nd rspnd t hzrds, rgrdlss f whthr thy r ntrl r hmn-md, sddn r slw-nst, xpctd r nxpctd. Rslnt cts r bttr pstnd t prtct nd nhnc ppl's lvs, scr dvlpmnt gns, nd drv pstv chng.