Formulation Calculation and Mechanical Performance of Lightweight Geopolymer Lunar Concrete

For the future of Lunar colonization to become a reality, the ability to create structures incorporating the materials found locally must be explored. The most abundant material that can be used on the Moon is the lunar soil itself, present across the entire surface. This abundance has led to the belief amongst student and Space agency researchers of the possibility in using a Geopolymer mixture, to create concrete from the in-situ soil. This concrete would also have to be lightweight enough to justify the transfer of Geopolymer mixture to the Lunar construction site. Using a Lunar simulant as our soil, sodium hydroxide, Potassium hydroxide, Sodium Silicate, and hydrogen peroxide, our team has been able to formulate a mixture that incorporates the high silica and alum content of the lunar regolith. We have created samples that have consistently yielded lightweight lunar concrete with a density of 880kg/m^3, less dense than water, and with considerable strength. The other part that was addressed was the mix consistency, since due to the high silica content, the mixture would dry too quickly for the concrete to be molded into its desired shape. All of this has been properly addressed and solved through the mixture formulation. Currently, we are running strength tests to quantify its compressive and tensile strength, calculate its material properties, and calculate its feasibility to be used as a structure in a low gravity lunar environment.