Concrete Construction on the Moon

by T. D. Lin, Natl Chiao-Tung Univ, Hsinchu, Taiwan,
Nan Su, Natl Chiao-Tung Univ, Hsinchu, Taiwan,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Engineering, Construction, and Operations in Space III

Abstract:

Building bases on the Moon, according to Space Exploration Initiative, may start in the early 21st century. Concrete, as versatile as it has been, might become the prime material for construction. A series of test programs to investigate physical properties of concrete made with Apollo 16 lunar soil as aggregate, lunar cements production, preliminary design of a concrete lunar base, and effects of lunar temperatures on concrete elements were carried out. The results verified the lunar concrete concept. A dry-mix/steam-injection concreting procedure has been developed for making concrete in a vacuum environment, and tests were also conducted. Measured strengths for concrete made with 18 hours of steaming at 180 C (350 F) reached 69 MPa (10,000psi).

Subject Headings: Lunar materials | Concrete | Construction materials | Concrete construction | Space construction | Moon | Space colonies

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