Perform and record Load Bearing Tests

[kellervater]

See Google Drive Sheet (tb linked)

[rusxakep]

TL;DR

PLA loses strength over time due to heat, UV, and moisture; brittle and low-load-bearing, it may crack or deform within 1–3 years. Suitable only for decorative or light-use parts; use PETG, ABS, PC, or Nylon for structural furniture or server racks.

Long-Term Aging and Mechanical Degradation of PLA

Effect of Aging on Tensile and Chemical Properties of PLA — study of the impact of aging on the mechanical and chemical properties of PLA, including property degradation due to hydrolysis, UV exposure, and thermal aging under real-world conditions.
MDPI, 2024. Link: polymers-16-01035-v2.pdf

Effect of Degradation of PLA on Dynamic Mechanical Response — investigates changes in the mechanical properties of 3D-printed PLA specimens as a function of storage time, including reductions in strength and elongation.
MDPI. Link: materials-17-03674.pdf

Degradation of Polylactic Acid Polymer and Biocomposites Exposed to Controlled Climatic Ageing — analysis of the effects of long-term climatic aging on the mechanical and thermal properties of PLA and PLA-based biocomposites.
MDPI. Link: polymers-15-02977.pdf

Hydrolytic Degradation Caused by Moisture Exposure

Hydrolytic Degradation of Polylactic Acid Fibers as a Function of pH and Exposure Time — study of the hydrolytic degradation of PLA as a function of environmental pH and exposure duration, with quantitative measurement of mechanical strength loss.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34946629/

Assessment of Structural Modification and Time-Dependent Behavior of PLA Composites upon Hydrolytic Degradation — demonstrates how PLA and PLA-based composites undergo hydrolytic degradation over time and how temperature influences the rate of hydrolysis. Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0014305722000623

Predicting Aging in Extreme Environments
Performance of Additively Manufactured PLA in Prolonged Marine Environments — experimental investigation of PLA degradation in marine water, including the development of an accelerated aging model with long-term property extrapolation over multiple years. Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0141391022000891