Behavior of compacted lunar simulants using new vacuum triaxial device

The objectives of this study are to create a lunar simulant locally from a basaltic rock and to design and develop a vacuum triaxial test device that can permit testing of compacted lunar simulant under cyclic loading with different levels of initial vacuum. Triaxial testing is performed in the device itself without removing the compacted specimen. Preliminary constrained compression and triaxial shear tests are performed to identify effects of initial confinements and vacuums. The results are used to define deformation and strength parameters. At this time, vacuum levels up to 0.0001 are possible. The research can aid in the development of compacted materials for various construction applications.