Slope stability analysis of the Mare Tranquillitatis Pit

IF 3.4 2区物理与天体物理 Q1 ENGINEERING, AEROSPACE

Acta Astronautica Pub Date : 2025-09-17 DOI:10.1016/j.actaastro.2025.09.050

Abdallah Alajrami, Marcin Chwała, Kamil Górniak

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Lunar pits have gained significant interest for their potential as natural shelters for future exploration and habitation. This study evaluates the slope stability of Mare Tranquillitatis Pit under varying geological and environmental conditions, focusing on the influence of regolith properties and geometric modifications. A series of numerical simulations using Finite Element Limit Analysis (FELA) were conducted to assess collapse multipliers across multiple cross-sections. The results indicate that some cross-sections exhibit high stability, while others are more vulnerable to failure, influenced by variations in regolith properties and geometry. Modifying regolith cohesion and friction angle significantly impacts failure patterns, with linearly increasing cohesion enhancing structural integrity in specific regions. The findings provide insights into the mechanisms governing pit wall stability, highlighting the importance of localized material properties and geometry. Further investigations incorporating seismic effects and alternative modelling approaches are recommended to refine stability assessments and support future lunar mission planning.

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静海矿坑边坡稳定性分析

月球坑因其作为未来探索和居住的天然避难所的潜力而引起了极大的兴趣。本研究评价了海海坑在不同地质和环境条件下的边坡稳定性，重点研究了风化层性质和几何变形的影响。利用有限元极限分析（FELA）进行了一系列数值模拟，以评估多个截面上的坍塌倍率。结果表明，受风化层性质和几何形状变化的影响，一些截面表现出较高的稳定性，而另一些截面则更容易破坏。改变风化层黏聚力和摩擦角会显著影响破坏模式，黏聚力线性增加会增强特定区域的结构完整性。这些发现为控制坑壁稳定性的机制提供了见解，强调了局部材料特性和几何形状的重要性。建议将地震效应和替代建模方法纳入进一步的研究，以完善稳定性评估并支持未来的月球任务规划。

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来源期刊

Acta Astronautica 工程技术-工程：宇航

CiteScore

7.20

自引率

22.90%

发文量

599

审稿时长

53 days

期刊介绍： Acta Astronautica is sponsored by the International Academy of Astronautics. Content is based on original contributions in all fields of basic, engineering, life and social space sciences and of space technology related to: The peaceful scientific exploration of space, Its exploitation for human welfare and progress, Conception, design, development and operation of space-borne and Earth-based systems, In addition to regular issues, the journal publishes selected proceedings of the annual International Astronautical Congress (IAC), transactions of the IAA and special issues on topics of current interest, such as microgravity, space station technology, geostationary orbits, and space economics. Other subject areas include satellite technology, space transportation and communications, space energy, power and propulsion, astrodynamics, extraterrestrial intelligence and Earth observations.