3D Printed PLA Geometry Drives Structural Performance in Concrete Beams

• A research team led by Dr. Muhammad Talha Junaid at the University of Sharjah tested cement mortar beams reinforced with FDM-printed PLA profiles. The study found that surface geometry was the dominant variable, with the best-performing configuration reaching nearly 80% of steel’s bending strength and matching its ductility. Concrete on its own handles compression well…

A research team led by Dr. Muhammad Talha Junaid at the University of Sharjah tested cement mortar beams reinforced with FDM-printed PLA profiles. The study found that surface geometry was the dominant variable, with the best-performing configuration reaching nearly 80% of steel’s bending strength and matching its ductility. Concrete on its own handles compression well but fails under tension. For more than a century, steel rebar has filled that gap, valued for its ability to resist tensile forces, bond reliably with the surrounding matrix, and maintain stiffness under load. The downside is persistent: steel is heavy, and in environments where moisture and chloride ions can reach it through the concrete cover, it corrodes, expanding as it does, cracking the structure from within. Coastal