A new research project is exploring how hemp grown in Lebanon could become the basis for bio-based composite materials. The GeM laboratory at the Saint-Nazaire University Institute of Technology announced the initiative on LinkedIn.
The project brings together three institutions. GeM is represented by Amandine Célino and Sylvain Fréour. The Beirut Higher School of Engineering is represented by Melissa Said. The University of Balamand in Lebanon is represented by Anna Maria El Bayssari.
Researchers will design composite materials from hemp by-products sourced from Lebanese agriculture. They’ll use additive manufacturing technologies to build them. A key focus is how these materials behave in humid conditions. The team will study water absorption and its effect on structural durability over time.
The project has financial backing from two sources. The Scientific Council of the Saint-Nazaire IUT is one. Saint Joseph University in Beirut is the other.
Melissa Said’s connection to the lab runs deeper than this new project. She completed her PhD at GeM, where she researched environmentally friendly composites aimed at cutting carbon emissions in transport. That work led to two joint scientific publications. A third study is now being finalised. It focuses on modelling the hygromechanical behaviour of plant-fibre-reinforced biocomposites.
The collaboration reflects a growing interest in plant-based materials as alternatives to conventional composites. By combining agricultural by-products with advanced manufacturing methods, the researchers hope to open new pathways for sustainable materials in industries like transport.
