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Study on Lunar Cement Production Using Hokkaido Anorthite and Hokkaido Space Development Activities
Abstract
This paper presents general information regarding lunar materials and Hokkaido anorthite and the basic concept of lunar cement formulation. Hokkaido anorthite consists of 16 wt.% of calcium oxide and is considered a candidate material for the proposed lunar cement production study. An electric furnace capable of generating heat up to 1600 C was used to conduct several bench burns using Hokkaido anorthite as simulant. The sintering temperature and duration were 1450 C and one hour, respectively. Two types of lunar cements with fineness ranging from 2670 to 5000 Blaine were made. The conventional wet mix procedure and the Dry-Mix/Steam-Injection (DMSI) method developed by T.D. Lin were applied to make a series of 4 cm mortar cubes for compression tests. The wet-mix cubes developed 2.9 N/mm² after 7 days of curing in a moist room while the DMSI cubes developed 21.9 N/mm² after 24 hours of steaming at 170 C. Scanning Electronic Microscopic analyses and X-Ray Diffraction analyses were performed to determine the morphology and chemical compositions of the obtained hydrates. This paper also discusses Japan's current interest and initiatives in the space technology development. This project was carried out with a support from Hokkaido Space Technology Consultative Association. It is hoped that the results of this test program will be a contribution to the international community on lunar concrete and space development.
... The high-temperature, high-pressure furnace can use solar energy to provide energy [74]. Horiguchi et al. [75] considered Hokkaido anorthite (containing 16 wt% CaO) as a good simulation of the lunar soil, and successfully prepared calcium aluminate cement under the aforementioned conditions. ...
Concrete is an ideal material for human beings to build bases on the Moon and Mars, and it is an important material basis for human beings to explore outer planets. In this paper, the history of space exploration is briefly introduced. Based on the resources and environmental conditions on Moon and Mars, the preparation methods and properties of different lunar and Martian concretes were analyzed and compared, e.g., aluminate concrete, sulfur concrete, magnesia silica concrete, polymer concrete, and geopolymer concrete. Based on the existing research findings, further research directions are put forward for the existing limitations and issues in current research.
... SoMR construction materials should be evaluated in the context of alternative methods of producing construction materials from regolith. Recent trials include cement-based concrete [12,13]; geopolymer concrete [14][15][16][17]; sulphur concrete [18][19][20]; and polymerbound regolith [21,22]. The implementation of these process on the moon faces a range of challenges. ...
Construction of lunar habitats and civil structures using masonry units, laser-processed from lunar regolith, can be achieved using accessible and abundant in-situ materials and energy resources. The process is robust, easily automated and minimises the need to import heavy equipment from earth. It is possible to construct launch pads, habitats, roads and retaining structures from masonry, using equipment which can be adapted to perform other mission functions. Viable mortarless, interlocking masonry unit shapes are reviewed herein and their suitability for constructing a range of lunar infrastructure is evaluated. Methods of transporting, placing and fixing the masonry units are also considered. Preliminary experimental work on lunar masonry production by selective laser melting of a basalt lunar regolith simulant is presented. This is the first trial of selective laser melting of a regolith simulant using a CO2 laser. The effects of pre-compaction, laser spot size, laser power, scanning speed, vector spacing and lift-height on unit mechanical properties and density are reported. A new method of joining the bricks by laser-welding is proposed.
... Regarding development of concrete based on the local materials, such as regolith or lunar dust, it has been reported that a tested lunar mortar mix reached to 3176 and 5627 psi in compressive strength without and with addition of gypsum respectively, due to the similar composition of lunar cement with ordinary Portland cement [219]. Such results are an indicator of the suitability of concretes developed based on local materials. ...
... A refinement of the lunar soil was investigated to apply for lunar concrete. In fact, the lunar soil was chemically refined to hydraulic cement containing the high level of Al 2 O 3 and Fe 2 O 3 and MgO to speed up the strength gaining of concrete [Horiguchi 1996]. This was more or less successful to achieve the early strength of concrete, accounting for about 15 MPa at 28 days of further curing [Horiguchi 1998]. ...
The present study concerns a production of lunar concrete using the artificial lunar soil and thermoplastic polymeric material as binder. The lunar soil was cast with the polymer in a cubic mould (50×50×50 mm) in a lunar environment-mimic chamber. Prior to solidification of the lunar soil mixture, the chamber was evacuated by a vacuum pump to 0.1-0.2 torr, followed by preheating by an electric heater placed inner wall of the chamber to sustain the internal room temperature at 123°C. Then, a heat plate, of which the surface temperature accounts for 230°C, was attached in one dimension for 5.0 hours on the top of the specimen in the mould to melt the polymer embedded in the mixture then to bind artificial lunar soil. Simultaneously, a specimen was in the equated condition except for the preheating process; the room temperature was about 15°C at the onset of plate-heating and instead the heating duration lasted 24 hours to compensate for preheating benefit. As a result it was found that the specimen subjected to preheating was mostly solidified, of which solidified depth accounted for about 49.2 mm, whilst non-preheated specimen was only partially solidified in the vicinity of the top, where the heat plate was directly attached. It implies that preheating of the mixture would be more effective in melting the polymer and thus binding lunar soil then to form a solid body, even in a shorter heating duration. Without preheating, the melting efficiency of the polymer was marginal to solidify the lunar soil in a relatively long heating (i.e. 24 hours).
... 18 h konnten mit Sand und Portlandzement Würfeldruckfestigkeiten höher 70 N/mm² erreicht werden [31]. Eine gute Verarbeitung ist bereits bei w/z-Werten von 0,15...0,25 möglich, was die Anwendung im Vakuum möglich erscheinen lässt [27]. Beton im DMSI-Verfahren ist relativ dicht und entwickelt höhere Festigkeiten als vergleichbarer Normalbeton, da bei der Hydratation mit Dampf mehr CSH-Gel anstelle von Ca(OH) 2 gebildet wird [31,32]. ...
... The necessary main components for the production of concrete are aggregate, cement and water. The use of regolith as aggregate [6], the production of cement from calcium-rich lunar rocks [3] and the availability of water on the moon [10] have already been shown. ...
This paper describes a method of manufacturing concrete under vacuum conditions, based on an enhancement of the Dry-Mix/Steam-Injection method (DMSI) by T. D. LIN. The aim is the production of concrete elements for the construction of modular protective structures on the moon. Due to the vacuum, manufacturing by wet mixing of cement, aggregate and water is not possible, because the unbound water would quickly evaporate. In initial experiments it was shown that the water demand for concrete mixtures with a high content of fine particles can be greatly reduced with the help of the DMSI method leading to nearly equal compressive strength in shorter hardening time.
Long-term human and robotic exploration missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond, will require far higher levels of autonomy, flexibility and resilience than what is currently the case in low Earth orbit. Off-Earth manufacturing capabilities, especially ones using in situ resources, are an essential asset in this regard. They can indeed allow much more independence from Earth-based supplies and resources while enabling more audacious mission objectives. As also discussed in the chapter by Rich et al., additive manufacturing (AM) techniques are prime candidates for off-Earth applications. They allow a large variety of geometries to be produced using one single system, including complex 3D structures that cannot be achieved through conventional means. This makes them adaptable to evolving mission scenarios and unforeseen needs. In addition, they integrate readily with digital design techniques, supporting approaches such as computational design optimizations and generative design. Finally, AM allows a very efficient use of feedstock material by minimising the amount of scrap material. This is very beneficial in off-Earth scenarios where supplies are limited.
For manned planetary exploration, human beings are developing technologies that can permanently reside on the planet, and the basic three elements of residence, such as clothing and shelter, are required to support essential technologies in construction. In order to develop infrastructure construction technology internationally, various materials and methods such as local cementation, sulfur and aluminum have been tried. in this study, a purpose is proposed a polymer concrete construction validation technology that appropriates the conditions required for manmade exploration in order to develop construction infrastructure material technology using polymer. Concrete specimens with a 10% weight ratio polymer prepared by heating on the bottom were stabilized after 2 hours of heating, and the strength was lower than the top heating method, but the solidifying speed was 2 times faster. These results are expected to be applicable not only to construction of lunar facilities for manned exploration but also to improve the construction of infrastructures such as roads and levees to prevent dust.
The article provides an overview of findings and production processes of various mineral materials which have been developed and tested worldwide in the past with regard to the establishment of a lunar base. At the beginning, the aim and procedure of constructing a lunar base will be outlined briefly. Subsequently, the lunar environment factors and their influence on a possible construction will be described. Then the advantages and disadvantages of examined materials such as sulfur concrete, cast basalt, lunar concrete or polymer concrete, on the one hand, as well as previously investigated production processes like sintering, geothermite reaction and 3D printing, on the other hand, are presented. One promising method is the Dry-Mix/Steam-Injection method for producing a lunar concrete as a possible material which is based on cement made from lunar resources developed by T. D. Lin.
1. Habitat Structures at MSFC is one element of the In-Situ Fabrication and Repair (ISFR) Program: ISFR develops technologies for fabrication, repair and recycling of tools, parts, and habitats/structures using in-situ resources. ISRU - based habitat structures are considered Class III. 2. Habitat Structure Purpose: Develop Lunar and/or Martian habitat structures for manned missions that maximize the use of in-situ resources to address the following agency topics: bioastronautics critical path roadmap; strategic technical challenges defined in H&RT formulation plan: margins and redundancy; modularity, robotic network, space resource utilization; autonomy, affordable logistics pre-positioning.
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