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tahanson43206 wrote: ↑Fri Apr 03, 2026 11:41 pm
One tip that may apply here is research showing that the unique presence of iron in Martian regolith provides bricks of remarkable strength.

Yes, I didn't belabor the point but that is what is self binding about CEB tech on Martian regolith at pressures of 48k PSI. They Iron ions allegedly start to "roll" and end up making new bonds to the basalt. The StarCrete is already more than half again stronger then conventional Portland Cement for compressive strength. Since the bricks also weigh less on Mars, you can thus stack them quite high already!

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I agree this is a difficult topic to site.... Perhaps a better location will occur to someone but this is as good a place as any to start.

One tip that may apply here is research showing that the unique presence of iron in Martian regolith provides bricks of remarkable strength.

There might be a need for a category for materials to be used on Mars. Suggestions for addition to the existing top level Categories are welcome.

Many categories were brought over from the FluxBB forum. Some date back to 2001 and may no longer be needed.

Index:

(th)

Modmins - Couldn't find an existing category where this "fits." Feel free to move or create appropriate home for it.

Was exploring alternatives to Cold (or Hot) Sintering Martian (or Lunar) regolith to create construction bricks. This is both to provide a useful construction material with excellent radiation protection ability, and to lock up billions of tons of dust where it is no longer problematic to life and Terraforming.

I came across StarCrete. This is a brick with similar qualities, but superior compressive strength to normal concrete. The 'trick' is to create a slurry of the regolithic dust, dehydrated potato starch, a 'pinch' of salt, and water. Stir until you have a gelatin. The brick is partially dehydrated, compressed, heated (conventional oven temp or even microwave oven) then further dehydrated. Thus everything needed to produce low tech bricks in great quantity can be sourced in-situ. I envision an enormous robotic plant stacking finished bricks as high as is safe for miles around to be transported to construction sites.

Compressed Earth Bricks (CEB) can also be used and will self bind but require up to 48,000 PSI of compression. Urea or chitin (from fungus) are necessary as additive. Dangerous work that would need to be left to machines.