Magnesium-Based Cements for Martian Construction

Abstract

Construction of habitats and infrastructure on Mars will require the extensive use of in situ materials. Regolith, which covers the planet’s surface, can be used to produce a Martian concrete but this requires the development of a binder system that is suited to unique conditions present on Mars. This paper presents the development of a magnesium silica binder system that could be produced from materials available on the surface of Mars. Magnesium oxide, amorphous silica, and water were combined with four different Mars regolith analogues from New Zealand to produce mortar cube samples. The sensitivity of the binder system to variations in a water–cement ratio was also determined for a single regolith analogue. The fresh properties of each mix were determined and the mechanical characteristics of porosity and compressive strength were assessed at 7, 28, and 90 days. The results showed that magnesium silica binder–regolith system achieved compressive strengths in excess of 35 MPa at 90 days, which would be suitable for a wide variety of Martian structural applications.