Experimental Study of Hygroscopicity of Lunar Soil Simulant

Abstract:

The lunar soil simulants using for vehicle-terramechanics research on the ground need to expose in air containing water molecules for a very long time. The influence of the engineering properties of lunar soil simulant caused by air moisture should be determined. This paper has obtained the moisture absorption of JLU-1, JLU-2 and SNJ-4 using weighing method. The result indicates that the hydroscopicity of three lunar soil simulant are: SNJ-4>JLU-2>JLU-1, all less than 2%. It shows that even in saturation state, the moisture content of three specimens is very little. The length of storage time of lunar soil simulant in natural environment has little effect on its engineering properties. Lunar soil simulant after be made can be storaged well for a long time in the natural environment, and used for ground foundation test. The results can supply the reference to evaluate the engineering properties and formulate the suitability standards of lunar soil simulant.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 357-360)
• Pages: 1405-1410
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.357-360.1405
• Online since: August 2013
• Authors: Rui Yang Shi, Jian Qiao Li, Meng Zou, Shi Chao Fan, Ling He, Yan Jing Yang
• Keywords: Lunar Soil Simulant, Moisture Absorption, Moisture Content, Time, Weighing Method

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