I NASA CONTRACTOR REPORT

L U N A R S O I L E N G I N E E R I N G A N D E N G I N E E R I N G G E O L O G Y Prepared under NASA Contracts NSG-496 and NSR-05-003- 189 by T. William Lambe and James K. Mitchell

MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY and UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY

For

~~~~

NASA CR-6 1178

.

N A S A - G E O R G E C . M A R S H A L L S P A C E F L I G H T C E N T E R Huntsville, Alabama October 20, 1967

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19670030073 2018-06-13T02:20:45+00:00Z

October 20, 1967 NASA CR-6 1178

/ LUNAR SOIL ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING GEOLOGY-

BY

T. William Lambe and James K . Mitchell

Prepared under NASA Contracts NSG-496 and NSR-05-003- 189 by

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts

and

University of California Berkeley , California

Space Sciences Laboratory

Distribution of this report is provided in the interest of information exchange. Responsibility for the contents res ides in the author or organization that prepared it.

N A S A - G E O R S E C . M A R S H A L L S P A C E F L I G H T C E N T E R

PREFACE

This paper presents the results of one phase of studies conducted

during the period, July 1-31, 1967, under NASA research contracts

NSG-496, "Lunar Surface Engineering Properties Expzriment Defini-

tion, with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge,

Massachusetts, and NSR-05 -003-189, "Materials Studies Related to

Lunar Surface Exploration, I' with the University of California, Berk-

eley, California.

Both studies a r e sponsored by Code MTL, NASA Headquarters,

and a r e under the technical cognizance of the Space Sciences Labora-

tory, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center.

LUNAR SOIL ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING GEOLOGY

T. W i l l i a m Lambe? and James K. M i t c h e l l 2

P o s i t i o n Paper Prepared for NASA 1967 Summer Conference on Lunar E x p l o r a t i o n and Science,

U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a a t Santa Cruz J u l y 31 - August 13, 1967

I. INTRODUCTION

Th i s pape r sets f o r t h o b j e c t i v e s and recommendations f o r t h e develop-

ment of a long-range program i n s o i l eng inee r ing and eng inee r ing geology

f o r suppor t o f l u n a r e x p l o r a t i o n and s c i e n c e . It w a s i n t ended t o serve as

a b a s i s f o r d i s c u s s i o n s a t t h e 1 9 6 7 NASA Summer Conference on Lunar

E x p l o r a t i o n and Sc ience , Un ive r s i ty of C a l i f o r n i a , San ta Cruz, J u l y 31 -

August 13, 1967 which would l e a d t o fo rmula t ion by t h e working groups of

a sound working p l a n f o r guidance o f s o i l and rock eng inee r ing s t u d i e s .

T h i s pape r i s b r i e f and many items are covered only i n o u t l i n e form. It

i s b e l i e v e d , however, t h a t t h e major problems of l u n a r e x p l o r a t i o n t h a t

r e q u i r e a t t e n t i o n by s o i l eng inee r s and engineer ing geologists a r e noted .

Types of measurements and ana lyses t h a t may be used f o r t h e i r s o l u t i o n are

sugges t ed where a p p r o p r i a t e . It is impor tan t t o n o t e t h a t t h i s paper w a s

p repa red p r i o r t o t h e San ta Cruz Conference, and, consequent ly , does n o t

r e f l e c t any of t h e d e c i s i o n s o r p r i o r i t i e s e s t a b l i s h e d as a r e s u l t of t h e

Conference.

P r o f e s s o r and Head of t h e S o i l Engineer ing D i v i s i o n , Massachuse t t s I n s t i t U t e o f Technology, Cambridge , Massachuse t t s . A s s o c i a t e P r o f e s s o r of C i v i l Engineer ing , Un ive r s i ty of C a l i f o r n i a , Berkeley.

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11. RECOMMENDATION

A coord ina ted program i n Lunar S o i l and Rock Engineer ing shou ld b e

i n i t i a t e d and developed by NASA. It i s recommended t h a t NASA e s t a b l i s h an

in-house s o i l and rock mechanics l a b o r a t o r y equipped and s t a f f e d s o t h a t

s o p h i s t i c a t e d s o i l tes ts and a n a l y s e s can be made. The pr imary f u n c t i o n

of t h i s l a b o r a t o r y should be t o a t t a c k t h e s h o r t range problems r e l a t e d t o

a l l l u n a r mis s ions , bo th manned and unmanned.

Long-term suppor t should b e provided t o two o r t h r e e u n i v e r s i t i e s

a l r e a d y s t r o n g i n s o i l and rock mechanics and wi th some expe r i ence i n t h e

space program.

u n i v e r s i t i e s should be cons idered . The r o l e s of t h e u n i v e r s i t y l abora -

t o r i e s should b e t o conduct b a s i c r e s e a r c h on l u n a r s o i l and rock p r o p e r t i e s ,

develop new methods f o r s o l u t i o n of l u n a r s u r f a c e materials problems, back

up t h e NASA in-house l a b o r a t o r y , t r a i n s t u d e n t s f o r p o s i t i o n s i n t h e space

program, and h e l p d e f i n e and s o l v e t h e many unfo reseen , b u t i n e v i t a b l e

problems t h a t w i l l a r i se .

Space s c i e n c e c a p a b i l i t y i n r e l a t e d areas w i t h i n t h e

A r e l a t i v e l y small b u t h igh q u a l i t y program of t h i s t ype shou ld r e s u l t

i n s av ings of money, t i m e , and p o s s i b l y l i f e , f a r i n excess of t h e i n v e s t -

ment.

111. GOALS

The u l t i m a t e g o a l s of t h e Lunar S o i l and Rock Eng inee r ing Program

should be :

A. To develop t h e c a p a b i l i t y of p r e d i c t i n g , a t l eas t i n a s e m i -

q u a n t i t a t i v e manner, s o i l c o n d i t i o n s a t any p o i n t on t h e moon

on the b a s i s of remote measurements.

2

B. To develop t h e c a p a b i l i t y f o r d e t a i l e d q u a n t i t a t i v e determina-

t i o n of s o i l and rock p r o p e r t i e s a t any chosen s i te where

s c i e n t i f i c o r eng inee r ing work i s contemplated.

C. To develop methods of a n a l y s i s s u i t a b l e f o r s o l u t i o n of s o i l and

rock mechanics problems on t h e moon.

D. To u t i l i z e t h e s p e c i a l environmental c o n d i t i o n s on t h e moon,

p a r t i c u l a r l y vacuum, tempera ture , and r a d i a t i o n , t o o b t a i n d a t a

t h a t w i l l a i d i n t h e unders tanding of s o i l and rock behav io r on

t h e e a r t h .

I V . LUNAR SOIL AND ROCK PROBLEMS

The fo l lowing are some of t he major problems i n l u n a r e x p l o r a t i o n

t h a t depend on s o i l and rock mechanics f o r s o l u t i o n .

A. Dynamic b e a r i n g capac i ty f o r s p a c e c r a f t l and ing .

B. Rocket b l a s t e r o s i o n problems.

C .

D. T r a f f i c a b i l i t y f o r roving v e h i c l e s and walking a s t r o n a u t s .

Contamination of systems by eroded s u r f a c e material.

T7 C. Slope s r z b i l i t y dur ing l and ing , t r a v e r s i n g , and c o n s t r u c t i n g .

F. Sampling.

G. S t a b i l i t y of l a b o r a t o r i e s and emplaced s c i e n t i f i c s t a t i o n s .

H. D r i l l i n g .

I. Underground excavat ion .

J. Underground cons t ruc t ion .

K. Underground s t o r a g e .

L . Waste d i s p o s a l .

M. Rad ia t ion s h i e l d i n g .

N. Thermal i n s u l a t i o n . 3

0. Cons t ruc t ion materials.

P. Mineral r e s o u r c e l o c a t i o n .

Problems A through H are o f immediate concern i n t h e Apollo and Apollo

A p p l i c a t i o n s Programs. Problems I through P w i l l become impor t an t shou ld

post-AAP development o f t h e moon be undertaken.

V. LUNAR SOIL E N G I N E E R I N G PROGRAM

F i r s t p r i o r i t y i n t h e Lunar S o i l and Rock Eng inee r ing Program shou ld

be t h e de t e rmina t ion of e n g i n e e r i n g pa rame te r s o f l u n a r s o i l s .

tests on r e t u r n e d samples w i l l b e needed, coupled w i t h tests run on l u n a r

s o i l i n - s i t u . For t h e conduct of s o i l and rock tests on t h e l u n a r s u r f a c e

t h e t e s t i n g equipment should be s i m p l e , rugged, a d a p t a b l e t o t h e h a r s h

l u n a r environment, and automated t o t h e e x t e n t p r a c t i c a b l e , The test

methods should y i e l d d a t a which can b e i n t e r p r e t e d mean ingfu l ly i n terms

o f t h e parameters needed f o r s o i l and rock mechanics a n a l y s e s . E x i s t i n g

and proven t h e o r i e s and methods of a n a l y s i s shou ld be used wherever

p o s s i b l e . S e l e c t i o n of tes t methods and development o f a p p a r a t u s shou ld

b e g i n immediately.

Labora to ry

A s test resul ts become a v a i l a b l e they shou ld be c o r r e l a t e d w i t h

remote s e n s i n g d a t a s o t h a t t h e r e l i a b i l i t y o f a n a l y s e s based on remote

measurements can be improved. Remote s e n s i n g , p rov ided r e l i a b l e methods

can be developed, may prove t o be t h e most economical means f o r determina-

t i o n of g e n e r a l s u r f a c e mater ia l p r o p e r t i e s .

Of second p r i o r i t y i s t h e development o f improved a n a l y t i c a l

t echn iques f o r such problems as dynamic b e a r i n g c a p a c i t y , s l o p e s t a b i l i t y

and t r a f f i c a b i l i t y . Methods of a n a l y s i s , e x c e p t p o s s i b l y i n t h e area of

t r a f f i c a b i l i t y of s o i l s and m o b i l i t y of v e h i c l e s , are r e a s o n a b l y w e l l

4

,

advanced, provided t h e a p p r o p r i a t e s o i l d a t a can be ob ta ined . The r e s u l t s

of Surveyor I and 111 have been encouraging i n p rov id ing improved estimates

of p e r t i n e n t s o i l p r o p e r t i e s ; however, t h e ranges of p o s s i b l e va lues must

be narrowed and t h e v a r i a b i l i t y from l o c a t i o n t o l o c a t i o n determined. A s

of t h i s t i m e t h e number of v a r i a b l e s s t i l l exceeds t h e number of indepen-

dent d i r e c t measurements t h a t have been made s o t h a t unproven assumptions

remain i n a l l q u a n t i t a t i v e e s t i m a t e s of s o i l p r o p e r t i e s .

Meaningful e v a l u a t i o n s of i n - s i t u s o i l s t r e n g t h and c o m p r e s s i b i l i t y

p r o p e r t i e s from t h e r e s u l t s of tests on r e t u r n e d specimens r e q u i r e s

s e c u r i n g s u i t a b l e undis turbed s a m p l e s . Thus t h e development of a p p r o p r i a t e

sampling techniques must be given high p r i o r i t y .

As t ronaut t r a i n i n g is an e s s e n t i a l component of a sound program i n

s o i l and rock eng inee r ing . S ince t h e a s t r o n a u t s w i l l be t h e "engineers i n

t h e f i e l d , " they should be educated t o some minimum l e v e l of p r o f i c i e n c y

i n t h e s e areas. It should be noted t h a t s o i l and rock eng inee r ing are f a r

from p r e c i s e q u a n t i t a t i v e d i s c i p l i n e s and expe r i ence and judgment f a c t o r s

p l a y an impor tan t p a r t i n development of optimum s o l u t i o n s t o problems.

V I . NECESSARY SOIL PROPERTY DATA FOR SOLUTION OF SPECIFIC PROBLEMS

Table 1 has been p repa red , based on t h e major problem a r e a s l i s t e d i n

S e c t i o n I V , t o i n d i c a t e s p e c i f i c p r o p e r t i e s of l u n a r materials t h a t must

b e known i f r easonab le s o l u t i o n s t o t h e problems are t o be expec ted . Also

l i s t e d are t h e a u t h o r s ' assessments of t h e s u i t a b i l i t y of e x i s t i n g a n a l y t i -

ca l methods f o r handl ing t h e problems.

\

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V I I . PROPERTY MEASUREMENT

Table 1 relates s o i l and rock p r o p e r t i e s t o s p e c i f i c problems

a s s o c i a t e d wi th t h e s c i e n t i f i c and eng inee r ing a s p e c t s o f l u n a r explora-

t i o n . Table 2 is concerned wi th methods f o r measuring t h e d i f f e r e n t

p r o p e r t i e s . An i n d i c a t i o n (which i n many cases i s an op in ion ) i s g iven

f o r each of t h e fo l lowing f a c t o r s wherever p o s s i b l e .

A. Whether measurement can be made by remote s e n s i n g (RS), tests-

i n - s i t u (TIS) , tests on s a m p l e s a t a l u n a r base ( L B S ) , o r t e s t s

on e a r t h r e t u r n e d samples (ERS).

B. A recommendation a s t o which of t h e f o u r p o s s i b l e approaches

l i s t e d i n A shou ld be used f o r

1. Gather ing d a t a f o r c l a s s i f i c a t i o n purposes ( C ) .

2 . P re l imina ry miss ion p l ann ing (PMP).

3 . F i n a l mi s s ion p l ann ing (F’MP).

4 . Determina t ion of des ign pa rame te r s (DP) . Table 3 p r e s e n t s a l i s t i n g of some s p e c i f i c tes t methods which might

be used f o r a c q u i s i t i o n of t h e necessa ry d a t a f o r p r o p e r t y e v a l u a t i o n s .

An i n d i c a t i o n is g iven ( aga in an op in ion i n most c a s e s ) as t o t h e s u i t -

a b i l i t y of e x i s t i n g test methods, t h a t are wide ly used f o r s t u d i e s of

terrestr ia l s o i l s and rocks , f o r use i n d e t e r m i n a t i o n of l u n a r material

p r o p e r t i e s .

s u r f a c e materials are no ted where a p p r o p r i a t e . Of p a r t i c u l a r importance

i n t h e development of t e s t i n g methods and a p p a r a t u s f o r i n - s i t u l u n a r s o i l

t e s t s and tests performed a t l u n a r b a s e s i s c o n s i d e r a t i o n of t h e h a r s h

l u n a r environment , t h e n e c e s s i t y t o keep pay loads t o a minimum, t h e l i m i t e d

d e x t e r i t y of a space - su i t ed a s t r o n a u t , and t h e d e s i r a b i l i t y f o r t echn iques

t h a t are s imple , r e l i a b l e , and r a p i d .

Usefu l t echn iques a l r e a d y developed f o r s t u d y of l u n a r

V I I I . CONCLUSION

Tables 1-3 r e p r e s e n t bu t a c r u d e f i r s t a t t empt t o c l a s s i f y problems,

s o i l and rock p r o p e r t i e s , and tes t methods i n a form which may be help-

f u l i n fo rmula t ion of r e s e a r c h e f f o r t s f o r a s y s t e m a t i c program of l u n a r

e x p l o r a t i o n . Much f u r t h e r ref inement of a l l a s p e c t s of t h e t o p i c s

covered is needed and most of t h e i n t e r r e l a t i o n s h i p s p re sen ted r e q u i r e

c r i t i c a l examinat ion i n d e t a i l . It should be no ted t h a t emphasis through-

o u t h a s been on de te rmina t ion of p r o p e r t i e s f o r u se i n s o l u t i o n of s p e c i f i c

eng inee r ing problems. Data obta ined from measurements of t h e type

sugges t ed , however, may be expected t o be of g r e a t s c i e n t i f i c va lue as

w e l l . It i s hoped t h a t t h i s paper w i l l s e r v e as a s t i m u l u s f o r s tudy by

t h e rest of t h e Working Group and t h a t a sound program i n s o i l mechanics

and eng inee r ing geology w i l l emerge.

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