Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Geotechnical Properties of Lunar Soil Simulantions

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Soil Dynamics

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering ((LNCE,volume 119))

  • 684 Accesses

Abstract

Understanding the behavior of lunar regolith is important for designing the in-situ test equipment and building structures on the moon for the futuristic moon colonization. The Apollo missions brought back a small quantity of lunar soil to earth to assess the geotechnical properties of the lunar soil. However, it is essential to develop a lunar soil simulant (LSS) that is inexpensive and produced in large quantities to fulfill the extended research on lunar regolith. This paper presents the physical properties like specific gravity, particle size distribution, relative densities, etc., of a newly developed lunar soil simulant (LSS) for Chandrayaan missions. The triaxial test was conducted on the LSS at different confining pressures to discuss the influence of confining pressure on the stress–strain behavior of the LSS. The cyclic triaxial test was performed to find the dynamic properties like shear modulus, damping ratio, bulk modulus, and Poisson’s ratio of the LSS. The results were compared with the lunar soil Apollo 16 and simulants like GRC-3 and JSC-1A. The results evidence that the new LSS has similar properties of the lunar soil and can be used for future extended research about the lunar regolith.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. ASTM (2016) Standard test methods for density of soil and rock in place by the sand replacement method in a test pit. ASTM D4914, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  2. ASTM (2016) Standard test methods for maximum index density and unit weight of soils using a vibratory table. ASTM D4253-e1, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  3. ASTM (2016) Standard test methods for minimum index density and unit weight of soils and calculation of relative density. ASTM D4254, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  4. ASTM (2017) Standard test methods for particle-size distribution (gradation) of soils using sieve analysis. ASTM D6913, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  5. ASTM (2017) Standard test method for particle-size distribution (gradation) of fine-grained soils using the sedimentation (hydrometer) analysis. ASTM D7928, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  6. ASTM (2017) Standard practice for classification of soils for engineering purposes (unified soil classification system). ASTM D2487, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  7. ASTM (20174) Standard test methods for liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index of soils. ASTM D4318-e1, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  8. ASTM (2015) Standard test method for unconsolidated-undrained triaxial compression test on cohesive soils. ASTM D2850, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  9. ASTM (2012) Standard test methods for laboratory compaction characteristics of soil using standard effort (12 400 ft-lbf/ft3 (600 kN-m/m3)). ASTM D698-e2, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  10. ASTM (2011) Standard test method for direct shear test of soils under consolidated drained conditions. D3080, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  11. ASTM (2011) Standard test methods for one-dimensional consolidation properties of soils using incremental loading. ASTM D2435, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  12. ASTM (2012) Standard test methods for laboratory compaction characteristics of soil using modified effort (56,000 ft-lbf/ft3 (2,700 kN-m/m3)). ASTM D1557-e1, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  13. ASTM (2014) Standard test method for repetitive static plate load tests of soils and flexible pavement components, for use in evaluation and design of airport and highway pavements. D1195/D1195(M)-09, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  14. ASTM (2014) Standard test methods for specific gravity of soil solids by water pycnometer. ASTM D421, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  15. ASTM (2013) Standard test methods for cyclic triaxial test of soils. ASTM D5311-M13, West Conshohocken

    Google Scholar 

  16. Carrier WD, III, Olhoeft GR, Mendell W (1991) Physical properties of the lunar soil. In: Heiken G, Vaniman D, French B (eds) Lunar sourcebook: a user’s guide to the Moon. Cambridge, University Press, New York, pp 475–594

    Google Scholar 

  17. Florez E, Roslyakov S, Iskander S, Baamer M, Iskander M (2015) Geotechnical properties of BP-1 lunar regolith simulant. J Aerosp Eng 28(5):04014124

    Google Scholar 

  18. He C, Zeng X, Wilkinson A (2013) Geotechnical properties of GRC-3 lunar simulant. J Aerosp Eng 26(3):528–534

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Ishigami G, Miwa A, Nagatani K, Kazuya Y (2007) Terramechanics-based model for steering maneuver of planetary exploration rovers on loose soil. J Field Robot 24:233–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Jiang MJ, Li LQ, Liu F, Sun YG (2012) Properties of TJ-1 lunar soil simulant. J Aerosp Eng 25(3):463–469

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Kanamori H, Udagawa S, Yoshida T, Matsumoto S, Takagi K (1998) Properties of lunar soil simulant manufactured in Japan. In: Space 98 Proceeding of 6th international conference and exposition on engineering, construction, and operations in space. ASCE, Reston, VA, pp 462–468

    Google Scholar 

  22. Li YQ, Liu JZ, Yue ZY (2009) NAO-1: Lunar highland soil simulant developed in China. J Aerosp Eng 22(1):53–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Liu J, Gao H, Deng Z (2009) Mechanical analysis of a drum-type wheel rolling on loose sandy soil. J Harbin Eng Univ 30:1029–1034

    Google Scholar 

  24. Marzulli V, Cafaro F (2019) Geotechnical properties of uncompacted DNA-1A lunar simulant. J Aerosp Eng 32(2):04018153

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Matsushima T, Ishikawa T (2014) Particle grading effect on mechanical properties of lunar soil simulant FJS-1. Earth Space. https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784479179.008

  26. McKay DS, Carter JL, Boles WW, Allen CC, Allton JH (1991) JSC-1: a new lunar soil simulant. Eng Constr Oper Space IV(2):857–866

    Google Scholar 

  27. Mitchell JK, Houston WN (1974) Apollo soil mechanics experiment S-200. Final Report, NASA Contract NAS 9-11266. Space Sciences Laboratory Series 15, Issue 7, University of California, Berkeley

    Google Scholar 

  28. Mitchell JK, Houston WN, Scott RF, Costes NC, Carrier WD, Bromwell LG (1972b) Mechanical properties of lunar soil-Density, porosity, cohesion, and angle of internal friction. In: Lunar Science Conference. MIT Press, Houston, pp 3235–3253

    Google Scholar 

  29. Oravec HA (2009) Understanding the mechanical behavior of lunar soils for the study of vehicle mobility. Ph.D. thesis, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland

    Google Scholar 

  30. Ryu BH, Wang CC, Chang I (2018) Development and Geotechnical engineering properties of KLS-1 lunar simulant. J Aerosp Eng 31(1):04017083

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Tao J, Wang L, Wu F (2006) Mechanical analysis of wheel-soil interaction of lunar rover. Mach Des Manuf 12:56–57

    Google Scholar 

  32. Yu X, Fang L, Liu J (2012) interaction mechanical analysis between the lunar rover wheel-leg foot and lunar soil. In: International workshop on information and electronics engineering (IWIEE). Procedia Eng 29:58–63

    Google Scholar 

  33. Zeng X, He C, Wilkinson A (2010) Geotechnical properties of NT-LHT-2M lunar highland simulant. J Aerosp Eng. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)AS.1943-5525.0000026,213-218

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The work has been supported and funded by the U R Rao Satellite Centre of Indian Space Research Organization under the ISRO-RESPOND Project No: 426. The authors are thankful to Dr.P. Kunhikrishnan, Director and Dr. M. Annadurai, Former Director, URSC, Indian Space Research Organization for providing lunar soils, and anorthosite samples and his extended support for the success of the Research work. The authors also thank Dr. S. Anbazhagan, Professor, Periyar University, Salem for his extensive work and support for identifying the anorthosite rock beds and for elaborate efforts in pulverizing rock samples into required gradations from 30 microns to 1000 microns.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India

    T. Prabu & K. Muthukkumaran

  2. C&MG LEOS, U R Rao Satellite Centre, Indian Space Research Organization, Bangalore, India

    I. Venugopal

Authors
  1. T. Prabu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. I. Venugopal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. Muthukkumaran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Prabu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, Assam, India

    T. G. Sitharam

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Siddaganga Institute of Technology, Tumakuru, Karnataka, India

    S. V. Dinesh

  3. Department of Earthquake Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India

    Ravi Jakka

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Prabu, T., Venugopal, I., Muthukkumaran, K. (2021). Geotechnical Properties of Lunar Soil Simulantions. In: Sitharam, T.G., Dinesh, S.V., Jakka, R. (eds) Soil Dynamics. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol 119. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4001-5_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4001-5_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-33-4000-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-33-4001-5

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation