Granular Mechanics of JSC-1 Mars Regolith Simulants
Publication: Earth and Space 2022
ABSTRACT
Any Martian mission entailing establishment of a habitat or vehicles operating on planetary surfaces requires proper characterization of native soils. Planetary geology along with regolith properties greatly influence the construction parameters, such as excavation mechanisms, and mechanical interactions between structures and the regolith platform. The primary objective of this research was to mechanistically characterize the physical and mechanical properties of the JSC Mars-1 regolith simulants to better understand the physical, mechanical, and physio-chemical properties of the native soils and its relevance to planetary construction. To achieve these objectives, a comprehensive experiment matrix was devised to simulate the compaction characteristics of unbound particulate materials in the laboratory. The resilient properties, strength parameters, and deformation potential were of primary interest in this effort. Additionally, the strength and deformation potential of the JSC-1 Martian simulants were contrasted with a conventional terrestrial construction material for comparative purposes. The study also investigated the contribution of the magnitude and method of application of the compaction energy on the dilatancy behavior of particulate materials in the laboratory. The laboratory results showed appreciable strain rate dependency of the strength parameters for simulants at multiple relative compaction levels. This underscores the significance of nonlinear and anisotropic regolith modeling for proper determination of orthogonal strength characteristics, settlement potential, and stability of platforms for planetary construction.
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Published online: Jan 5, 2023
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