Brick on Mars

tahanson43206 · 2025-11-12 19:41:53

This topic in Science, Technology and Astronomy celebrates the humble brick.

Post #3 contains a summary prepared by Google, showing a snapshot of the history of bricks over 10,000 years on Earth.

The topic is inspired by posts of Calliban, who has described brick that might be made on Mars with superior strength, thanks for the abundance of iron in the regolith on Mars.

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tahanson43206 · 2025-11-12 19:42:46

This post is reserved for an index to posts that may be contributed by NewMars members.

Index:
Post #3: An overview of brick, prepared by Google.

Post #4: Calliban with sketch of a dome build of brick with a spiral roadway for construction and stability
https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 41#p235441

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tahanson43206 · 2025-11-12 19:44:49

Inspired by a post by Calliban, describing a kind of brick that might be made on Mars, I asked Google to write a summary of the history of Brick.

when were bricks first used by humans on Earth?
AI Mode
When and How Were the Bricks In Your Old House Made?
Humans first used bricks around 10,000 to 9,000 BCE. These early bricks were sun-dried mud bricks, often mixed with straw, and were found at archeological sites like Jericho. Later, around 4000–3500 BCE, the technique of firing bricks in kilns to make them more durable was developed in Mesopotamia.
~10,000–9,000 BCE: The earliest known bricks were mud bricks, created by shaping mud with a binder like straw and drying them in the sun.
~7,000 BCE: Archeological evidence places the use of bricks at this time, with early examples found near ancient Jericho.
~4000–3500 BCE: The innovation of firing bricks in kilns occurred in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). This made bricks much stronger and more resistant to weather.
Later Developments: The use of fired bricks spread throughout the ancient world. The Romans, for example, used standardized fired bricks extensively, and later, during the "Brick Gothic" period, fired bricks became the primary building material in Northern Europe where stone was scarce.

This topic is available for posts that might help an entrepreneur to plan and create an entire industry on Mars.

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Calliban · 2025-11-13 19:11:18

The image below shows how I think we will build brick domes on Mars.

The inner black lining is a parabolic dome that would be constructed from Class A engineering bricks. Regolith covers the dome and forms a spiral Ziggurat. This allows a spiral road to wind around the structure until it reaches the top.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziggurat

The stepped structure shown in my sketch is exagerated. Likely, the retaining wall behind the road will be no more than 1m high, so each spiral layer as shown in the drawing would be 1m high. This avoids any significant load concentrations that could result in buckling instability. The road will wrap around the structure over 100 times before reaching the top. We would build the berm incrementally around the parabolic dome as it is assembled towards its apex. This allows assembly robots easy access to the work surface by running up the spiral road. It also avoids the need for formwork inside the dome, as robots can climb up the regolith berm to get to the work surface. With each new metre added to the dome, regolith would be piled around it and the spiral road will be extended once around the structure. In this way, the only materials needed are brick, stone, graded regolith and a binding cement for the bricks.

The dome shown here has a diameter of 200m (650'). This gives an internal land area of 3.14 hectares. The dome itself can be quite thin, as it is really acting as a retaining wall to prevent compacted regolith from crumbling inward. We would need a minimum of 400,000 tonnes of graded regolith to build the berm. This is the amount needed to balance an internal pressure of 50KPa under Martian gravity over an area of 3.14 hectares. Moving and compacting this much regolith is no small task. If we processed 1100 tonnes per day, it would take about 1 year to build the structure. Assuming a dome thickness of 7.5cm (standard width engineering brick) we would need ~15,000 tonnes of engineering bricks. That is 41 tonnes per day × 1 year. That is about 12 cubic metres of bricks per day. I think we could do that in a modest sized brick oven.

I anticipate that the dome would contain an extremely dense urban district. This will consist of very narrow pedestrian streets lined with terrace houses and shops. Rather like the Fez medina. To get the most use out of our dome, I anticipate that the internal town will be built on three levels. The lowest level will consist of a network of subsurface tunnels and chambers. This would contain functional infrastructure (water delivery, sewage removal and treatment, electric power delivery), as well as small scale industry, inventory storage and any other functions that don't need to take place in the buildings above. Next will be town itself, a dense network of terrace buildings designed to resemble a mediaeval town. These would be limited to 5 floors high, to preserve the human scale of the city. Finally, the top level will be the flat roofs of the buildings, which will be landscaped as a continuoys greenspace, with footbridges running over streets.

How many people would live in the dome?

Last edited by Calliban (2025-11-13 20:17:51)

tahanson43206 · 2025-11-13 20:12:05

Calliban brings a unique combination of talents and skills to this forum. In post #4 Calliban showed us a possible habitat design that might be constructed entirely from native materials, assuming a supply of sufficient energy to carry out the needed operations.

I asked Gemini (Flash 2.5) to evaluate the proposal. It suggested a bit more mass in the regolith layer, and complained that the one year construction time table seemed aggressive. All in all, it seemed to me that Calliban's proposal stands up well.

Overall, the proposal is highly viable from an engineering physics standpoint, though the logistical timeline is extremely aggressive.
1. Structural Viability: Pressure Balance
The central principle of using the regolith berm to counteract the internal pressure of 50 kPa (which is 0.5 bar) is correct. This design puts the dome structure under compression from the overburden, which bricks handle extremely well, rather than tension from the internal atmosphere.
Pressure Calculation Breakdown
For a 200 m diameter dome (r = 100 m), the total area is A is approximately 31,416 m^2.
[] Total Uplift Force: F_int = Pressure x Area = 50,000 Pa x 31,416 m^2 is approximately 1.57 GigaNewtons (GN). [] Force Generated by Proposed Mass (on Mars): Assuming Martian gravity (g_Mars is approximately 3.72 m/s^2): F_reg = Mass x g_Mars = 400,000,000 kg x 3.72 m/s^2 is approximately 1.49 GN.
Required Mass for Balance: To generate the 1.57 GN required force, the actual mass needed is: M_req = F_int / g_Mars = 1.57 GN / 3.72 m/s^2 is approximately 422,257 tonnes.
Conclusion on Mass: The estimate of 400,000 tonnes is close, but the structure would require approximately 422,000 tonnes of compacted regolith to achieve a purely hydrostatic vertical balance. This 5% shortfall is minor and easily accounted for by adding a small safety margin to the regolith depth.
Using an average compacted density for Martian regolith (~1,500 kg/m^3), this mass translates to an average regolith depth of about 9 m over the dome's surface.
2. Materials and Stability
Class A Engineering Bricks Your material choice is excellent. Class A engineering bricks on Earth are specified for high compressive strength (>= 125 N/mm^2).
[] Strength: The compressive strength of Class A bricks is orders of magnitude greater than the compressive stress (0.05 N/mm^2) that would be placed on the dome by the 9 m of regolith. [] ISRU Feasibility: The main challenge is the In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) needed to produce them. The "binding cement" is particularly challenging, as it would likely require a sulfur-based, polymer-based, or sintered-regolith binder instead of traditional, water-intensive cement.
Ziggurat Design and Buckling The stepped Ziggurat design with 1 m retaining walls is highly effective for stability and buckling mitigation.
[] Buckling: By building the regolith berm incrementally around the dome as it rises, the bricks are constantly kept under a stable, external compressive load. This continuous support, combined with the spiral retaining walls to manage lateral shear and sliding forces, significantly reduces the risk of global instability. [] Load Concentration: The 1 m vertical rise per layer prevents excessive soil shear/creep and distributes the regolith load more evenly against the parabolic dome, successfully avoiding significant load concentrations.
3. Construction Methodology and Logistics
Incremental Assembly The incremental construction method is the most innovative and practical aspect of the proposal.
[] Formwork Elimination: By leveraging the regolith berm as continuous external formwork, you eliminate the need for colossal and complex internal scaffolding, which would be extremely difficult and resource-intensive for a 200 m dome. [] Robot Access: The spiral road provides essential, continuous access for automated robots to place the next course of brick and apply/compact the next layer of regolith. This is a very elegant solution to the construction logistics challenge.
Timeline Challenge The timeline of 400,000 tonnes in one year (approximately 1,000 tonnes/day) is highly ambitious. While low Martian gravity allows equipment to move larger loads, maintaining a 24/7/365 operational tempo for mining, processing, transporting, and compacting regolith at this scale would require a highly robust, automated, and redundant fleet of heavy machinery. The timeline is an operational challenge rather than a fundamental flaw, and should likely be extended to account for manufacturing and maintenance downtime.
The engineering consideration for managing the lunar and Martian regolith in large-scale construction is discussed in this resource: Lunar Engineering 101 - Dust and Regolith.

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Calliban · 2025-11-13 20:43:45

If the bricks are quite smooth, then a thin layer of epoxy glue could be used to bond them. If we assume a brick height of 10cm and a 1mm layer of epoxy glue, then we would need about 50 cubic metres for the whole dome. The glue would weigh about 50 tonnes. There are three potential challenges that I can see:

(1) As the dome rises, the work surface curves inwards. Beyond about 1/3rd of the way up, each new layer of bricks would need to be held in place whilst the glue sets.
(2) Mars is cold compared to most environments on Earth. Glue would be extremely stiff at temperatures <0°C. Setting time would be long, if indeed it sets at all. We may need to apply resistance heaters to keep the bricks and glue warm while the glue sets.
(3) Mars has an atmosphere with non-negligible pressure, which is a strong advantages over the moon. However, epoxy monomers are quite volatile. Will evaporation negatively impact the glue?

Assuming we can solve these problems, epoxy glue looks like the best approach. We could potentially produce a fine paste of epoxy glue and martian fines as a cement. That way, we can reduce the required mass of glue still further.

Last edited by Calliban (2025-11-13 20:47:45)

SpaceNut · 2025-11-14 15:20:39

sure we can build using a system of bricks or blocks.

For building arch shapes, you can use either tapered/wedge-shaped bricks or standard rectangular bricks. Tapered bricks are specially designed for arches to create uniform mortar joints, while rectangular bricks can be used for a flatter arch, sometimes called a soldier arch. Special shapes like double-tapered arch bricks or bricks with a specific angle (like a 70° skew-back angle for flat arches) are also available for curved elements.
Types of bricks for arches
Tapered or wedge-shaped bricks:
These are the most common for rounded arches. They are tapered to ensure that the mortar joints are of a consistent thickness throughout the depth of the arch.
Double-tapered arch bricks: These are double-tapered in either width or length to form curved features, like an archway or a circular window.
Rectangular bricks (cut or full-size):
Soldier arches:
These are created by placing standard rectangular bricks on their ends, with their long sides set vertically. This type is more of a flat arch and requires support like a lintel or frame.
Flat arches:
Flat arches are often constructed with standard rectangular bricks that are the same size and have parallel sides, sometimes with a specific skew-back angle.
Specialty and pre-fabricated arches: Modern technology allows for pre-fabricated brick arches built to specific dimensions and designs, which can be a cost-effective solution.
Key considerations for size and shape
Uniformity:
The key for most arches is achieving uniform mortar joints for structural integrity. Tapered bricks achieve this, while flat arches often use standard rectangular pieces with a consistent, small mortar joint.
Angle:
For flat arches, a 70° skew-back angle is common for the voussoirs (the wedge-shaped stones used to build the arch).
Customization:
If your design requires specific angles, curves, or a certain rise, you may need to specify custom dimensions or use pre-fabricated arches

Calliban · 2025-11-14 16:40:42

The attached image shows a possible plan view of the town built beneath the proposed 200m diameter brick dome on Mars.

The red lines indicate the walls of individual buildings. The black shaded areas are roads, squares and the agora (in the centre). All roads are entirely pedestrian spaces. The two ring roads have a width of 2m for pedestrian traffic. The two straight roads that cross the agora have a minimum width of 3m. The streets widen at intersections. These are natural meeting places and will likely be the location of cafes, with extra seating spilling out onto the street.

The agora is a circular paved area some 50m in diameter at the centre of the town. Most days this will contain overspill outside seating from restaurants and bars. It will also host open air markets, Christmas events, theatre performances and is large enough to accomdate the entire population for town meetings.

All buildings are coloured green. This denotes the presence of roof gardens. Every building will host roof garden space. This will all be connected to form a continuous landscape, with foot bridges connecting all blocks above street level. This is important, because the street level of the town is extremely confined, with almost all of space taken up by buildings. The roof garden landscape provides an open green space that is open to all by ascending a spiral staircase from the street or from within buildings. These garden spaces will be places for recreation. This limits the stress of living within an otherwise crowded environment.

The buildings at the outer edge of the dome are large structures. They will include such things as sports facilities, gymnasium, schools, cinema, university departments, hotels, government buildings, public bathhouses and overspill accomodation. These will be constructed right up against the edge of the brick dome. The inner districts consist of smaller buildings. These will include terrace houses, as well as shops, bars, cafes and restaurants.

The whole town will be very densely inhabitated, due to the cost of constructing the dome. Houses will be small in footprint, but also tall. Flats may also be located above commercial premisses. How many people could live in this town? The medina in Fez, Morroco is a pedestrian city with a floor area ratio of about 1.5. It's population density is about 550/hectare. Our Martian town will have structures constructed on about 80% of internal land area, to a height of 5 floors. So floor area ratio is about 4. I will therefore conservatively assume about double the population density of the Fez medina. The area under the dome is 3.14 hectares, suggesting a population limit of some 3,500 people. The inclusion of underground spaces in addition to the roof garden, allows these people to spread out some more. It might be tolerable for some people to live in underground apartments, if they can climb a set of stairs into the town when they need open space.

SpaceNut · 2025-11-14 17:56:12

A none clear dome could be done with brick of course.

Building a 200-meter diameter brick dome is a massive engineering challenge, a project that would surpass the scale of the world's current largest masonry dome, the Florence Cathedral dome, which has a diameter of approximately 42 meters.
Such a structure would require advanced engineering, modern materials science, and innovative construction techniques to ensure stability and durability.
Key Considerations for a 200m Diameter Brick Dome
Structural Feasibility:
A 200m dome is possible in theory, but traditional unreinforced masonry techniques (like those used in historical domes) might not be sufficient at this scale due to the immense weight and stress. Modern construction would likely involve reinforced masonry, steel, or concrete elements.
Foundation:
A robust and secure foundation is essential to handle the massive load of a 200m dome and transfer it evenly to the ground without settling.
Construction Techniques:
Formwork:
Unlike smaller domes that can sometimes be built with minimal or no formwork using specific "tricks" like sticky mortar and specialized tools, a dome of this size would likely require extensive temporary support structures (centering or formwork) or innovative construction methods.
Geometric Design:
The geometry is critical. Engineers would need to select an appropriate profile (e.g., a hemisphere, which might not be practical for the internal space usage, or a different curve).
Material Science:
The bricks would need to be strong, and the mortar would play a critical role in bonding the massive structure.
Engineering Expertise:
Collaboration between structural engineers and architects is vital to ensure all aspects of the design and construction are feasible and safe.
Modern Alternatives:
For a dome of this size, modern construction methods like those used for Monolithic Domes (using an inflatable membrane, foam, rebar, and shotcrete) are more common and potentially more practical and cost-effective.
Seismic Considerations:
If built in an earthquake-prone region, specific reinforcement and design considerations would be critical to ensure the structure's integrity.
Summary
A 200m diameter brick dome would be a monumental architectural and engineering feat, far exceeding existing examples of masonry domes. Its construction would require substantial engineering innovation, modern reinforced techniques, and extensive structural analysis to overcome the challenges posed by its unprecedented scale.

Spherical Dome Calculator

SpaceNut · Yesterday 14:03:24

Asking AI for Mars is not what we need first as we need to understand the difficulties of building first on earth where man does this manually. Mars will not allow this which means mars needs new machines and processes. Lack of materials for bricks is an issue, there is no commodity shop for other materials to bind or to make them adhere to the made bricks. That is why you develope within a chamber with the conditions that you would use on mars once you have methods to try.

tahanson43206 · Yesterday 17:25:26

For SpaceNut ... this topic is about Brick on Mars.

This topic is NOT about Brick on Earth.

It seems to me that Calliban has tried to answer all your objections before you asked them.

Which of his answers was not to your satisfaction?

What else would you like to know?

This topic is an opportunity to build a store of knowledge. You have identified knowledge elements that you think could be profitably added to the topic. Please make a list of knowledge we do not presently possess.

That way Calliban can start working on the specific items you identify.

I'd like to point out that you have created the start of a helpful list.

It might even be possible to implement your suggestion of creating a Martion test cell to prove that the solutions Calliban proposes will work. The only thing we cannot control is gravity, and I doubt gravity is much of a factor in brick laying.

The variables that seem likely to be of concern include materials for the bricks themselves, mortar or glue to hold the bricks together, the atmosphere in which bricks would be laid, temperatures and pressure.

Please create a list of these and other items you'd like Calliban to address.

And please ** do ** feel free to ask the AI to help. The AI knows more than any of us humans about Mars, because it has access to ** all ** of human knowledge, which we humans do NOT.

However, before you ** publish ** your list, please be sure you have read ** every ** word that Calliban has already written on this subject. It might turn out that he has already addressed some of your concerns.

(th)

SpaceNut · Yesterday 18:59:32

No single "epoxy" product exists for Mars temperatures,
but
researchers are developing specialized polymer composites using epoxy resins mixed with simulated Martian soil (regolith) and other local materials. These composites are designed for high physical properties and thermal stability in extreme Martian conditions, with some examples including modifications with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) or the use of thermoplastic polymers for enhanced durability and UV resistance.
Epoxy and polymer composites for Mars
Polymer composites:
Researchers are creating polymer composites that use local regolith as a filler in epoxy resins.
High physical properties: These composites are being developed to achieve high physical properties, including mechanical strength and thermal stability, for use as building materials.
Modified fillers:
Chemical modification of the Martian regolith filler, such as with TEOS, can significantly enhance the properties of the final composite, notes this study from Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
Other considerations
Thermoplastics:
In addition to traditional epoxy, advanced thermoplastics are also being explored for their UV resistance and recyclability, which are crucial for space environments, according to this article from SpringerLink.
Sulfur concrete:
Another research avenue is the development of sulfur-based concrete, which uses sulfur as a bonding agent and is recyclable, notes this article from ScienceDirect.
Waterless concrete:
Given the lack of liquid water on Mars, many of these new building materials, including the epoxy-based composites, are being designed to be waterless.
Geopolymer cement:
Other research is focused on creating geopolymer bricks by mixing Martian soil with a high-pH solution to create a strong, cement-like material, according to University of Delaware.

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#1 2025-11-12 19:41:53

Brick on Mars

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#4 2025-11-13 19:11:18

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#5 2025-11-13 20:12:05

Re: Brick on Mars

1. Structural Viability: Pressure Balance

2. Materials and Stability

3. Construction Methodology and Logistics

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Re: Brick on Mars

#7 2025-11-14 15:20:39

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Re: Brick on Mars

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