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Exploring Potential Building Materials for Planet Mars

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Proceedings of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering Annual Conference 2021 (CSCE 2021)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering ((LNCE,volume 247))

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Abstract

Interplanetary expansion is a matter of acute interest in the scientific realm nowadays. This work aims at exploring potential building materials for Martian use along with possible methods for construction. Martian concrete was created by simulating Martian regolith using basalt which was tested for elemental and chemical composition using Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX). Samples of basalt had very close resemblance to Martian soil validating its use. Martian concrete was mixed, in different ratios of Sulphur to concrete, using a maximum nominal aggregate size of 1 mm and molten Sulphur acting as the binding agent in the mix. Applying the ASTM C39 compressive strength test and the ASTM C78 flexural strength test to the mixes, it was found out that the mix with a 1:1 Sulphur to aggregate mix was the strongest having yielded results of 22 and 4 MPa, respectively. Alternative materials of construction are also discussed and evaluated. Prospective methods of execution are then discussed and a proposal of a Martian habitat is provided.

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Acknowledgements

This work was recommended and counseled by Dr. Mohamed Nagib Abou-Zeid.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Department of Construction Engineering, The American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

    Ziad Abdeen, Kareem ElDaba, Reem Gamal, Zenah Helmy, Gehad Ibrahim, Omar Sawan & Mohamed Nagib AbouZeid

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  1. Ziad Abdeen
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  2. Kareem ElDaba
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  3. Reem Gamal
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  4. Zenah Helmy
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  5. Gehad Ibrahim
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  6. Omar Sawan
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  7. Mohamed Nagib AbouZeid
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kareem ElDaba .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada

    Scott Walbridge

  2. Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Mazdak Nik-Bakht

  3. University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada

    Kelvin Tsun Wai Ng

  4. Matrix Solutions Inc., Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Manas Shome

  5. University of British Columbia - Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada

    M. Shahria Alam

  6. University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada

    Ashraf el Damatty

  7. University of British Columbia - Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada

    Gordon Lovegrove

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© 2023 Canadian Society for Civil Engineering

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Abdeen, Z. et al. (2023). Exploring Potential Building Materials for Planet Mars. In: Walbridge, S., et al. Proceedings of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering Annual Conference 2021. CSCE 2021. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol 247. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0968-9_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0968-9_31

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-19-0967-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-19-0968-9

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