Geotechnical Properties of Fillite—Simulant for Planetary Rover Mobility Studies
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 29, Issue 5
Abstract
Earthbound testing of the mobility of lunar, Martian, and other extraterrestrial rovers benefits from the use of suitable soil simulants. To this end, a granular material called Fillite was selected as a simulant for modeling high-sinkage, high-slip situations that could be encountered by rovers, such as the one encountered by the Spirit rover on Mars. Fillite consists of alumino-silicate hollow microspheres harvested from the pulverized fuel ash of coal-fired power plants. It is available in large quantities at a reasonable cost and it is chemically inert. The focus of this paper is to summarize geotechnical characterization of Fillite, specifically the mechanical properties such as shear strength parameters, elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio, and small-strain shear modulus. These measured properties are expected to enable analysis of rover mobility tests conducted in Fillite. The properties of Fillite are compared with the known and estimated properties of Martian and lunar regoliths as well as of other commonly used simulants. Fillite is quite dilatant. The peak and critical angles of internal friction of Fillite are smaller than those of most other simulants. Smaller shear strength, coupled with much smaller bulk unit weight as compared to other simulants, would result in smaller bearing and shearing resistances. This is expected to allow for better simulation of the intended high-sinkage, high-slip environment for rover mobility studies.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This work has been supported by the Vermont Space Grant under NASA Cooperative Agreement #NNX10AK67H. The authors are grateful to Mr. Colin Creager and Dr. Juan Agui of NASA Glenn Research Center for providing Fillite and general support for the study. The Authors are also thankful for Dr. Adam Sevi’s assistance in conducting maximum and minimum density tests and for Dr. Lalita Oka’s assistance in in conducting bender element tests reported here.
References
Allen, C. C., Morris, R. V., Lindstrom, R. V., Lindstrom, M. M., and Lockwood, J. P. (1997). “JSC MARS-1: Martian regolith simulant.” 28th Lunar and Planetary Science, NASA, Lunar and Planetary Institute, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston.
Alshibli, K., Alsaleh, M., Godbold, D., and Macari, E. (2004). “Numerical and experimental study of strength properties of Martian regolith.” Eng. Constr. Oper. Challenging Environ., 1–8.
Alshibli, K., and Hasan, A. (2009). “Strength properties of JSC-1A lunar regolith simulant.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 673–679.
Arslan, H., Batiste, S., and Sture, S. (2010). “Engineering properties of lunar simulant JSC-1A.” J. Aerosp. Eng., 70–83.
ASTM. (1991a). “Standard test methods for one-dimensional consolidation properties of soils using incremental loading.” ASTM D2435, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (1991b). “Standard test methods for specific gravity of soils by water pyncnometer.” ASTM D854, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2006a). “Standard test methods for maximum index density and unit weight of soils using a vibratory table.” ASTM D4253, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2006b). “Standard test methods for minimum index density and unit weight of soils and calculation of relative density.” ASTM D4254, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2009). “Standard test methods for particle-size distribution (gradation) of soils using sieve analysis.” ASTM D6913, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2011). “Method for consolidated drained triaxial compression test for soils.” ASTM D7181, West Conshohocken, PA.
Blewett, J., Blewett, I. J., and Woodward, P. K. (2000). “Phase and amplitude responses associated with the measurement of shear-wave velocity in sand by bender elements.” Can. Geotech. J., 37(6), 1348–1357.
Bolton, M. D. (1986). “The strength and dilatancy of sands.” Géotechnique, 36(1), 65–78.
Carrier, W. D., III, Bromwell, L. G., and Martin, R. T. (1972). “Strength and compressibility of returned lunar soil.” 3rd Proc., Lunar Science Conf., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 3223–3234.
Carrier, W. D., III, Bromwell, L. G., and Martin, R. T. (1973). “Behavior of returned lunar soil in vacuum.” J. Soil. Mech. Found. Div., 99(11), 979–996.
Chakraborty, T., and Salgado, R. (2010). “Dilatancy and shear strength of sand at low confining pressures.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 527–532.
Chaney, R., Demars, K., Brignoli, E., Gotti, M., and Stokoe, K. (1996). “Measurement of shear waves in laboratory specimens by means of piezoelectric transducers.” Geotech. Test. J., 19(4), 384–397.
Dyvik, R., and Madshus, C. (1985). “Lab measurements of using bender elements.” Advances in the Art of Testing Soils under Cyclic Conditions: Proc., Session, ASCE, New York.
Edmunson, J., et al. (2010). “NASA lunar regolith simulant program.” 41st Lunar and Planetary Science Conf., ASCE, Reston, VA.
Edwards, M., Dewoolkar, M., Huston, D., and Creager, C. (2016). “Bevameter testing on simulant Fillite for planetary rover mobility applications.” J. Terramech., in press.
Fang, H.-Y. (1990). Foundation engineering handbook, 2nd Ed., Springer, New York.
Gouache, T., et al. (2011). “Soil simulant sourcing for the ExoMars rover testbed.” J. Planet. Space Sci., 59(8), 779–787.
Hardin, B. O., and Richart, F. E., Jr. (1963). “Elastic wave velocities in granular soils.” J. Soil Mech. Found. Div., 89(1), 33–66.
He, C., Zeng, X., and Wilkinson, A. (2011). “Geotechnical properties of GRC-3 lunar simulant.” J. Aerosp. Eng., 528–534.
Heiken, G., Vaniman, D., and French, B. (1991). Lunar sourcebook: A user’s guide to the moon, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K.
Kulhway, F. H., and Mayne, P. W. (1990). “Manual on estimating soil properties for foundation design.”, Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA.
Lee, J.-S., and Santamarina, J. (2005). “Bender elements: Performance and signal interpretation.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 1063–1070.
Li, Y., Liu, J., and Yue, Z. (2009). “NAO-1: Lunar highland soil simulant developed in China.” J. Aerosp. Eng., 53–57.
Li, Y., Zeng, X., and Agui, J. (2013). “Developing a lightweight Martian soil simulant for high-sinkage mobility test.” J. Aerosp. Eng., 04014058.
McKay, D. S., Carter, J. L., Boles, W. W., Allen, C. C., and Allton, J. H. (1994). “JSC-1: A new lunar soil simulant.” Proc., Space IV, Engineering, Construction and Operations in Space, S. W. Johnson, ed., Vol. 2, ASCE, New York.
Moore, H., et al. (1999). “Soil-like deposits observed by Sojourner, the Pathfinder rover.” J. Geophys. Res., 104(E4), 8729–8746.
Moore, H. J., Clow, G. D., and Hutton, R. E. (1982). “A summary of Viking sample-trench analyses for angles of internal friction and cohesions.” J. Geophys. Res., 87(B12), 10043–10050.
NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration). (2009). “Spirit rover mission update, Sol 1900–1906.” 〈http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mer/mission/status_spiritAll_2009.html#sol2100〉 (Jan. 20, 2016).
Oravec, H. A. (2009). “Understanding mechanical behavior of lunar soils for the study of vehicle mobility.” Ph.D. thesis, Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH.
Oravec, H. A., Zeng, X., and Asnani, V. M. (2010). “Design and characterization of GRC-1: A soil for lunar terramechanics testing in Earth-ambient conditions.” J. Terramech., 47(6), 361–377.
Peters, G., et al. (2008). “Mojave Mars simulant—Characterization of a new geologic Mars analog.” Icarus, 197(2), 470–479.
Seed, H. B., and Idriss, I. M. (1970). “Soil moduli and damping factors for dynamic response analyses.”, Earthquake Engineering Research Center, Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA.
Seiferlin, K., et al. (2008). “Simulating Martian regolith in the laboratory.” Planet. Space Sci., 56(15), 2009–2025.
Sibille, L., Carpenter, P., Schlagheck, R., and French, R. A. (2006). “Lunar regolith simulant materials: recommendations for standardization, production, and usage.” 〈http://isru.msfc.nasa.gov/lib/Documents/PDF%20Files/NASA_TP_2006_214605.pdf〉 (Nov. 17, 2014).
Sirles, P. C., and Viksne, A. (1990). “Site-specific shear wave velocity determinations for geotechnical engineering applications.”, Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Tulsa, OK, 121–131.
Stoker, C. R., Gooding, J. L., and Roush, T. (1993). “The physical and chemical properties and resource potential of Martian surface soils.” Resources of near-earth space, A. Banin, D. Burt, and B. C. Clarke, eds., Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
Sullivan, R., Anderson, R., Biesiadecki, J., Bond, T., and Stewart, H. (2011). “Cohesions, friction angles, and other physical properties of Martian regolith from Mars exploration rover wheel trenches and wheel scuffs.” J. Geophys. Res., 116(E2), E02006.
Tolsa U.S. (2014). “Fillite hollow ceramic microspheres.” 〈http://www.thecarycompany.com/products/Tolsa/tolsa-usa-inc-fillite.html〉 (Jul. 5, 2014).
Vermeer, P. A., and Schanz, T. (1996). “Angles of friction and dilatancy of sand.” Géotechnique, 46(1), 145–151.
Viggiani, G., and Atkinson, J. H. (1995). “Stiffness of fine-grained soil at very small strains.” Géotechnique, 45(2), 249–265.
Yu, F., Chen, S., and Zhang, Y. (2015). “Experimental study on the mechanical properties of CAS-1 lunar regolith simulant under low stress levels.” Innovative Mater. Des. Sustainable Transp. Infrastruct., 245–259.
Zeng, X., He, C., Oravec, H., Wilkinson, A., Agui, J., and Asnani, V. (2010a). “Geotechnical properties of JSC-1A lunar soil simulant.” J. Aerosp. Eng., 111–116.
Zeng, X., He, C., and Wilkinson, A. (2010b). “Geotechnical properties of NT-LHT-2M lunar highland simulant.” J. Aerosp. Eng., 213–218.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 25, 2014
Accepted: Dec 10, 2015
Published online: Mar 11, 2016
Discussion open until: Aug 11, 2016
Published in print: Sep 1, 2016
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.