Planetary Robotic Construction Using Large-Scale 3D Printing with Sulfur Concrete

Abstract

For successful long-duration missions and to establish a long-term presence of mankind on the Moon and Mars, the construction of supporting structures is imperative to protect humans and enable exploratory logistics in the extreme space environment. Extrusion-based Construction 3D Printing (C3DP) offers a large-scale automated construction approach that can be leveraged for planetary construction. Although Portland cement concrete (PCC) is the most common material for C3DP and traditional construction on Earth, it is difficult to obtain on the Moon and Mars. Sulfur concrete is an alternative waterless construction material that is viable for off-world construction due to the availability of its ingredients. This study investigates the behavior of sulfur-regolith concrete as a candidate material for planetary C3DP, by studying the printability and performance of 3D printed samples made with a Martian regolith simulant. Based on the experimental findings, the printability and mechanical performance of sulfur-regolith concrete can be impacted by process parameters such as the printing temperature and interlayer time gap. Furthermore, the performance data for 3D printed specimens under vacuum conditions and temperature variations showed weight loss and flexural strength reduction as a result of sulfur sublimation.