Search Results (3)

The use of modular steel construction (MSC) achieves a minimum of on-site work and the potential for removability and reuse. In order to realize the overall disassembly of module buildings and the rapid off-site reconstruction after disassembly, special requirements are put forward for the joints of MSCs. The existing joints of MSCs have some problems, such as the difficulty in the erection of the joints for middle column connection and their inability to be reused. In order to solve these key technical problems, an improved version of the demountable self-locking joint is proposed based on the previous plug-in self-locking joint. For this new type of joint, a full-scale test consisting of four specimens was carried out. The results of functional tests verify that the joint has good demountability. The seismic behavior of the joint under seismic load was investigated by cyclic loading tests. Then, finite element (FE) models were developed and validated through the test results. The results of finite element parameter analysis show that joint boxes are very important to the initial stiffness of this kind of joint, but the thickness of the joint box and the diameter of the stud have little influence on the seismic behavior of the joint. Full article

PPVC modular construction building has become one of the most recent construction technologies in the civil engineering sector and has piqued researchers’ interest. Few published studies consider the overall structural response to extreme wind load. As a result, there is a lack of appropriate design for PPVC modular systems under extreme wind standards. However, the existing literature has not yet studied the wind flow dynamic behaviors of PPVC modular steel construction (MSC) systems subjected to extreme wind loads. This paper, therefore, presents a numerical investigation into the structural performance and wind flow dynamic behavior of innovative PPVC modular steel construction (MSC) systems under extreme wind loads. The numerical technique varied in comparison with previous studies. The results showed that the suggested novel (MSC1) modular system is applicable to prevention of extreme wind action up to cyclone ^2nd degree, the high story drift resistance compared with previous research, high stiffness performance, and overall strain energy. Additionally, the actual wind velocity surrounding (MSC2) was 31.5% higher compared to the Saffir–Simpson wind speed scale, and the 1.5 wind speed safety factor was suggested. Full article

Modular steel construction (MSC) consists of the off-site prefabrication of a fully finished module and the on-site assembling of the module unit. The popularity of MSC is on the rise, attributable to its technical advantages of speed and quality of buildings with repetitive units. Inter-module connection is critical for the overall stability and load-bearing capacity of MSC. An innovative, fully prefabricated liftable connection (FPLC) using standard corner fittings and long stay bolts is proposed in this paper. This paper focuses on the axial compressive behavior and design of FPLC. Five full-scale specimens were tested under axial compression. Local buckling of the column and shear of the long stay bolts were observed during the test. It can be concluded from the test results that the load-bearing capacity may decrease as the number and diameter of the stay bolts increase. A three-dimensional nonlinear finite element model (FEM) was developed and validated against the test results by general purpose finite element software ABAQUS. Furthermore, a parametric study was conducted using the verified FEM to provide a better understanding of the axial compressive behavior of the FPLC. The results of the parametric study indicated that the corner fitting can be up to 15% lighter for columns with thicknesses of 6 mm and 8 mm without substantial reduction of the axial load-bearing capacity of the FPLC. Moreover, the location of the column can be adjusted to achieve a uniform Von Mises stress and equivalent plastic strain (PEEQ) distribution of the connection. The presented research work provides an engineering-practical inter-module connection on its axial compressive behavior, which will provide helpful references for further application of MSC. Full article