Three Dimensional Shape Analysis of JSC-1A Simulated Lunar Regolith Particles

Published

October 23, 2010

Author(s)

Edward Garboczi

Abstract

The three dimensional (3-D) shape of a fairly broad size range of the particles of the lunar regolith simulant JSC-1A was characterized. After wet screening with water, the size classes that were kept and investigated were: those retained on a 300 micrometer ASTM screen, those passing the 300 micrometer screen but retained on a 75 micrometer screen, those passing the 75 micrometer screen but retained on a 38 micrometer screen, and those passing the 38 micrometer screen but retained on a 20 micrometer screen. Samples of all four size fractions were embedded in epoxy and formed into cylindrical specimens. These specimens were scanned with X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT). The resulting two dimensional (2-D) slices were stacked into 3-D microstructures. Particles were segmented and removed computationally. A total of 131 034 particles were found and used. Spherical harmonic coefficient expansions were then created for each particle, and the volume, surface area, dimensions (length L, width W, thickness T), integrated mean curvature, and principal moments of inertia were computed for each particle in 3-D as well as a 3-D VRML image of each particle analyzed. A projection algorithm was used to compute the apparent aspect ratio as would be seen by a 2-D optical system. This report presents the 3-D particle size and shape distributions for the various size classes using various 3-D measures of particle size and shape and a comparison of 2-D and 3-D shape parameters. The data generated was also used to critique the shape of a model JSC-1A particle used in a discrete element modeling study.

Citation

Powder Technology

Volume

207

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2010.10.014

Local Download

Keywords

lunar, regolith, simulant, tomography, particle shape, spherical harmonic

Citation

Garboczi, E. (2010), Three Dimensional Shape Analysis of JSC-1A Simulated Lunar Regolith Particles, Powder Technology, [online], https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2010.10.014, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=905340 (Accessed December 13, 2024)