Multiobjective Optimization for Structural Design of Lunar Habitats

Much like their Earth-based counterparts, the requirements of future space habitat structures can be defined by their ability to protect their occupants and provide usable space to live and work in an extreme, isolated environment. Due to the high cost of transporting resources off of Earth’s surface, recent efforts focus on developing increasingly Earth-independent structural designs. These new designs use local regolith-based materials as a possible solution for long-term extraterrestrial sustainability. With a focus on an Earth-independent habitat, this research looks at architectures that use spherical regolith-based concrete shells with carbon fiber polymer reinforcement. The research approach is to formulate the structural design problem as a multi-objective optimization of the habitat shell. The objectives that apply to the shell geometry and cross section include the minimization of transportation and construction costs, and the minimization of the probability of loss due to radiation and micrometeorite events. Direct trade-offs arise. The multi-objective optimization applies Pareto optimization to determine which design elements or options afford the greatest effectiveness or efficiency. The authors examine candidate design solutions based on priorities and performance thresholds which indicate that ISRU-based reinforced concrete may be a valuable future investment. While the cases presented here are limited to lunar surface systems, both the general architectures and the methodology for analysis and design are applicable to future Mars settlements.