Mechanical and dynamic behavior of sustainable smart PLA polymeric-based 3D printed gyroid structures for vibration control applications

This study investigates the mechanical and dynamic performance of 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) gyroid lattice metamaterials designed for sustainable vibration-control applications. Gyroid specimens with wall thicknesses of 4, 5 and 6 mm were fabricated using fused deposition modeling (FDM) and evaluated through three-point bending, uniaxial compression, and free-cantilever vibration tests. Finite-element simulations were performed to validate stress distribution, deformation, and modal response. The 6 mm structure achieved the highest compressive strength (24 MPa) and energy absorption (2.7 MJ m− 3), whereas the 5 mm configuration provided the best damping efficiency (ζ = 0.0217) by balancing stiffness and viscoelastic deformation. Experimental results correlated strongly with FEM stress–strain distribution, confirming the reliability of the developed model. This work establishes a unified experimental–numerical framework for designing biodegradable gyroid metamaterial dampers, demonstrating that geometric tailoring of PLA lattices offers a lightweight, energy-efficient, and environmentally responsible route to vibration mitigation in civil and mechanical systems.