TY - GEN
T1 - Borehole geotechnical testing tool for lunar exploration
AU - Kobayashi, T.
AU - Aoki, S.
AU - Kanamori, H.
AU - Fukagawa, R.
AU - Wakabayashi, S.
AU - Tsuji, T.
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Soil mechanics study plays a key role in various engineering problems relating to future lunar/planetary surface explorations. In-situ measurement of regolith physical properties is of fundamental importance in developing a framework of lunar/planetary soil mechanics. An in-situ soil investigation package; LSM (lunar soil mechanics investigation system) is being developed as a moon utilization payload for Japan's Moon lander SELENE-2, which is planned as a follow-on program of Kaguya program (SELENE). This paper focuses on a soil testing tool, which is one of the subsystems of LSM, and describes a result of laboratory experiments using a prototype model. The equipment developed is a small-diameter tool with a paired-inflatable blade and is used in a pre-frilled borehole for performing two types of soil mechanics test; lateral loading test and direct shear test against the borehole sidewall. In this study, a series of shear tests were demonstrated with a Japanese lunar soil simulant (FJS-1) and the results were compared with results of a triaxial compression test and direct shear box test. The test results showed that the proposed method has a great potential to be a reliable tool that can provide strength parameters on the lunar surface. The characteristics and underlying limitations of the probe were also discussed for future improvements.
AB - Soil mechanics study plays a key role in various engineering problems relating to future lunar/planetary surface explorations. In-situ measurement of regolith physical properties is of fundamental importance in developing a framework of lunar/planetary soil mechanics. An in-situ soil investigation package; LSM (lunar soil mechanics investigation system) is being developed as a moon utilization payload for Japan's Moon lander SELENE-2, which is planned as a follow-on program of Kaguya program (SELENE). This paper focuses on a soil testing tool, which is one of the subsystems of LSM, and describes a result of laboratory experiments using a prototype model. The equipment developed is a small-diameter tool with a paired-inflatable blade and is used in a pre-frilled borehole for performing two types of soil mechanics test; lateral loading test and direct shear test against the borehole sidewall. In this study, a series of shear tests were demonstrated with a Japanese lunar soil simulant (FJS-1) and the results were compared with results of a triaxial compression test and direct shear box test. The test results showed that the proposed method has a great potential to be a reliable tool that can provide strength parameters on the lunar surface. The characteristics and underlying limitations of the probe were also discussed for future improvements.
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U2 - 10.1061/9780784412190.003
DO - 10.1061/9780784412190.003
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84874280971
SN - 9780784412190
T3 - Earth and Space 2012 - Proceedings of the 13th ASCE Aerospace Division Conference and the 5th NASA/ASCE Workshop on Granular Materials in Space Exploration
SP - 21
EP - 30
BT - Earth and Space 2012 - Proceedings of the 13th ASCE Aerospace Division Conference and the 5th NASA/ASCE Workshop on Granular Materials in Space Exploration
PB - American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
T2 - 13th Biennial ASCE Aerospace Division International Conference on Engineering, Science, Construction, and Operations in Challenging Environments, Earth and Space 2012 and the 5th NASA/ASCE Workshop on Granular Materials in Space Exploration
Y2 - 15 April 2012 through 18 April 2012
ER -