Geotechnical Properties of GRC-3 Lunar Simulant
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 26, Issue 3
Abstract
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.
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Acknowledgments
The work reported here was carried out with support from NASA Grant NNX07A078G and NNX07AM35A. The opinions expressed in this paper are that of the authors and do not represent the official policies of the funding agency.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 26 • Issue 3 • July 2013
Pages: 528 - 534
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 24, 2011
Accepted: Sep 8, 2011
Published online: Sep 10, 2011
Published in print: Jul 1, 2013
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