Geotechnical properties of the lunar regolith are critical parameters in the design of equipment for in situ resource utilization (ISRU) on the Moon. It is imperative to simulate the geotechnical behavior of the lunar soil properly in the development of such equipment. Soil strength depends on the preparation method as well as the properties of the granular raw material. To execute the many small- and large-scale equipment tests planned for ISRU, it is necessary to develop a simulant that is inexpensive and can be produced in large quantities. This paper presents the methodology behind developing such a lunar-like geotechnical soil, GRC-3, and compares the properties of this soil with those of lunar regolith. The results show that particle size distribution, specific gravity, bulk density, and shear strength parameters for several preparation protocols are similar to that of lunar soil. Therefore, GRC-3 can be used in future large-scale experiments to predict the performance of ISRU equipment on the Moon.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Geotechnical Properties of GRC-3 Lunar Simulant


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2011-09-10


    Size :

    72013-01-01 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



    Geotechnical Properties of GRC-3 Lunar Simulant

    He, Chunmei | Online Contents | 2013


    Geotechnical Properties of GRC-3 Lunar Simulant

    He, Chunmei | Online Contents | 2013


    Geotechnical Properties of GRC-3 Lunar Simulant

    He, Chunmei | Online Contents | 2013


    Geotechnical Properties of BP-1 Lunar Regolith Simulant

    Suescun-Florez, Eduardo / Roslyakov, Stanislav / Iskander, Magued et al. | ASCE | 2014


    Geotechnical Properties of BP-1 Lunar Regolith Simulant

    Iskander, Magued | Online Contents | 2015