Seminar on modular building

Department of Civil Engineering B.Tech. Seminar Report 2016

1 Universal Engineering College

1. INTRODUCTION

Modular building and modular homes are sectional prefabricated building or houses that

consist of multiple modules or section which are manufactured in a remote facility and

the delivered to their site of use. These modules are assembled into a single residential

building using either by a crane or trucks. Modular building has a wide variety of uses.

They will either be used for long term temporary or permanent facilities. Such uses

include construction camps, schools and classroom, civilians and military housing needs

and industrial facilities. Modular buildings are a perfect solution in remote and rural areas

where conventional construction may not be reasonable or even possible. Other uses have

also been found for modular buildings include churches healthcare facilities and retail

offices, fast food restaurants etc. At this time modular home today can be built to any

specification and any size from a simple one to a complex one.

One of the big advantages of modular construction is that it

is very rapid and it tends to be less expensive than a site-build structure. Manufactures are

not limited by issues like inclement weather and because they have a great deal of

experience, they can put structure together quickly and well. And they tend to be more

earthquake and weather resistance than site build structure. Modular construction

concepts can be applied for all types of buildings such as offices, commercial, residential,

hotels and much more. Recently, modular construction was used in the high rise

buildings. As shown in the case studies, modular construction can save time in the

construction schedule and therefore may result in savings. Also, the generation of

construction waste is reduced on-site due to the off-site prefabricated modules being

transported to the site fully fitted out, hoisted and assembled.

2. ADVANTAGES OF MODULAR BUILDING

Modular buildings are very affordable because of the factory construction of these

buildings. They are cost effective compared to conventional construction. These units are

typically constructed in an enclosed facility; therefore weather is not a factor in the

construction timeline. Material delivery fees are also out of the equation because an

ample amount of material will always be available at the facility, as opposed to being



delivered in limited quantities to the job site, nearly eliminating construction delays, and

theft of building materials from the site.

Such dwellings are often priced lower than their site-built counterparts and are typically

more cost-effective to builders and consumers. Homes can be constructed in less time

than it takes to build a home "on-site."

Manufacturers cite the following reasons for the typically lower cost/price of these

dwellings:

Speed of Construction/Faster Return on Investment: Modular construction allows for

the building and the site work to be completed simultaneously, reducing the overall

completion schedule by as much as 50%.

Indoor Construction: Assembly is independent of weather, which increases work

efficiency and avoids damaged building material.

Favourable Pricing from Suppliers: Large-scale manufacturers can effectively

bargain with suppliers for discounts on materials.

Ability to Service Remote Locations: Particularly in countries such as Australia there

can be much higher costs to build a site-built house in a remote area or an area

experiencing a construction boom such as mining towns. Modular homes can be built

in major towns and sold to regional areas.

Low Waste: With the same plans being constantly built, the manufacturer has records

of exactly what quantities of materials are needed for a given job. While waste from

a site-built dwelling may typically fill several large dumpsters, construction of a

modular dwelling generates much less waste.

Environmentally Friendly Construction Process: Modular construction reduces waste

and site disturbance compared to site-built structures.

Flexibility: Conventional buildings can be difficult to extend, however with a

modular building you can simply add sections, or even entire floors.

3. CONSTRUCTION OF MODULAR BUILDING

Modular components are typically constructed indoors on assembly lines. An assembly

line track moves the modules from one workstation to the next. Initially the panels for

floors, roofs, walls and ceilingsareall produced flat for both efficiency and safety."Flow

Line" principles are employed in the factory, the floors and bathroom pods are brought

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assembly_lines



together before moving on to have walls and ceilings erected to form a rigid box. The

module then continues along the line becoming increasingly more complete as it is flush

jointed, painted, wired, plumbed and over-clad. The completed module then emerges

from the end of the flow line for delivery to site. Independent building inspectors are on

site to supervise the construction and ensure that all building codes are adhered during

assembly.

3.1 COLLECTION OF MATERIAL

The most common construction is wooden and steel frame shown in Figure 3.1, insulated

and decorated with wooden cladding and other lightweightmaterials.This type gives less

weight which is good for transportation. We can reduce expenses of materials ordering

them directly from producing companies, avoiding premiums of construction designers.

Materials are kept under roof without any weather damage.

Fig 3.1 well-seasoned wood

(Wikipedia, Modular building)



Fig 3.2 Steel Frames

(Tomas U, Ganiron Jr (IJAST) 2014)

3.2 FABRICATION OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS

In this stage several finish components are performed including kitchens, baths,

lighting, ducting, windows and occasionally flooring and exterior siding. Doors and

windows are assembled with foam around the edges and good quality flashing,

weather-stripping and chafing strips, ensuring proper insulation and made provision

for plumbing, wiring and electrical fittings. Once built, the modules must be tested and

most manufacturers do this on site.After this step, the interior walls of the modules are

typically primed and the modules are prepared for transportation.

Fig 3.3 Walls Attached To Floor




Fig 3.4 Electrical & plumbing


3.4 TRANSPORTED TO THE SITE

Typically it is not feasible to ship modules extremely far due to road size/load

restrictions. The average manufacturer typically quotes 250-400 miles as the maximum

distance on road that it is desirable to transport modules. The costal ways are also used

for transportation.

Fig 3.5 Transported by trucks to the sites




3.5 MODULAR HOUSE ASSEMBLED ON SITE

This type of module house is a prefabricated home built in an offsite factory, which is

then delivered by truck to the home site, and assembled by a construction crew. The sort

of this kind home can share some similarities to prefabricated block houses. The materials

and way its built could be very similar. The difference between this type and

prefabricated block house is that thereare more varieties of shape, the size could grow

bigger and the main issue is mounting.. This type of construction may be subject to

weather conditions – at the moment of mounting. Also the time spent on site assembling

this house lasts longer than one block house finishing. The module house assembled on

site doesn’t need to be specially reinforced for transporting.

Fig 3.6 Construction of each module by crane in the site


As long as it is delivered to site in pieces shown in Figure 3.6, the elements do not suffer

from different statistical forces that may influence block house . To assemble such a

house the crane is required. Building elements are connected piece by piece by

construction workers.

All connection holes are later insulated and prevented from thermal bridges. This type

of mounting must obey all building regulations. As the building site is arranged by

standards because there are several processes taking place on site and most of those

processes concerns work safety.



It is the developer’s responsibility to have the foundation ready and the tie-ins for

electric, plumbing, and sewer in place so that the modules can be connected to the

necessary infrastructure. Such infrastructure work occurs, weather permitting,

concurrently with the manufacturing process so that essentially, once the foundation is set

one can ship the modules, connect them and obtain occupancy permits. The modules

arrive built with walls, floors, trusses, ceilings, wiring and interior fixtures to the extent

the developer wants them. Once on site, the modules are stacked by a crane (usually

between an 80 to a 160 ton crane depending on the size of the modules and the distance

from the crane that it must travel) at an average pace of approximately four to six

modules per crane per day. The modules are bolted together along both the floor and the

ceiling joists and the marriage walls are connected with a series of steel fasteners and

strapping. They are quickly weather proofed by sealing them with building wrap that

blocks moisture and pollutants yet allows the structure to breathe and water vapor to

escape. Care needs to be taken to monitor weather conditions around the scheduling of

the set. While tarps may be used to protect the unwrapped modules from rain or snow

during a set if necessary, this is a less than perfect solution and it is better to schedule

around inclement weather if possible. Once set and connected, the structure is then ready

for subcontractors to begin the process of performing the interior and exterior finishes and

all required utility connections.

4. INSPECTION AND QUALITY CONTROL

One primary difference between site-built and modular methods is inspections. With

modular, throughout the manufacturing and installation process, there are multiple parties

monitoring the process. While a large multifamily project still requires local architects

and engineers to submit stamped permit drawings in their particular state, the physical

inspection of the modules as they are built are not handled by local building inspectors

but independent third party inspection companies who are licensed to review the work as

it is being performed in the factory to ensure code compliance. As each module is

inspected and approved it receives a seal certifying that everything within the module

conforms to the plan and the building code. Local building inspectors are only

“supposed” to review the additional work that occurs once the module is set such as

utility connections and the buttoning up and connections of modules. This is occasionally



tested however, by local inspectors who overreach their authority. The third party

inspection process applies in most jurisdictions but one must locally verify the

applicability Additionally, the design process involves both a factory architect and an

architect employed by the developer and licensed in the state where the development is to

occur. This dual design/review process can often eliminate any future change orders or

surprises in the field. Quality control is not just code compliance, however, and quality

assurance employees and shop foremen inspect the modules throughout the construction

process. A major difference between the site-built and the modular process is proximity

of quality control personnel to the work being inspected. Quality controls are still subject

to human error. Since the factory building method is a fast moving process, many

industry insiders recommend the practice of having the manufacturer make two or three

modules and then sending the local architect and general contractor to the factory to

inspect so that any issues, specifically those pertaining to MEP systems, can be cleared up

early on. Some common infractions that do arise either during manufacturing, or once on-

site, are minor issues: foil insulation is facing the wrong way inside an interior wall,

hairline cracks in the plaster, sixty foot long modules may be slightly off in length.

5. CHARACTERISTICS OF MODULAR BUILDINGS

5.1. BUILDING STRENGTH

According to manufacturers, modular homes are generally designed to be initially

stronger than traditional homes by, for example, replacing nails with screws and adding

glue to joints. This is supposed to help the modules maintain their structural integrity as

they are transported on trucks to the construction site. Despite manufacturer claims that

the modular home is initially built to be stronger than a traditional home, it is difficult to

predict the final building strength since it needs to endure transportation stresses that

traditional homes never experience.

When FEMA studied the destruction wrought by Hurricane Andrew in Dade County

Florida, they concluded that modular and masonry homes fared best compared to other

construction.



Typically, a modular home contains about 10 to 20 percent more lumber compared to

traditional stick-built homes. This is because modules need to be transported to the job

site and the additional lumber helps keep them stable.

5.2 DURABILITY AND LIFE CYCLE OF MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

The life cycle expectancy of modular construction is the same as conventional, and in a

world where sustainability is gaining momentum each day, there are also several basic

principles intrinsic to the modular construction process that make it more eco-friendly

than conventional construction. The module-to-module combination of the units appears

to have provided an inherently rigid system that performed much better than conventional

residential framing.

The life cycle expectancy of modular construction is the same as conventional, and in a

world where sustainability is gaining momentum each day, there are also several basic

principles intrinsic to the modular construction process that make it more eco-friendly

than conventional construction. They spend significantly less on-site time, a result of a

shortened construction cycle, (the outcome of the simultaneous activities of on-site

development and off-site building construction), notably minimizes the overall impact on

a site. And finally, modular construction methods and materials allow a building to be

more readily “deconstructed” and moved to another location should need arise, so

complete building reuse or recycling is an integral part of the design technology.

Many of the life cycle reports and research focus on the environmental life cycle of a

building rather than its economic life cycle. And while non traditional methods such as

modular construction are comparable to traditional methods in terms of economic life

cycle, modular construction provides significant advantages in terms of environmental

life cycle analysis. This advantage is a result of a combination of less materials waste on

the initial site coupled with the fact that modular structures are designed for

deconstruction at the end of their useful life much more so that traditional buildings, thus

reducing the amount of materials waste in landfills upon demolition.

After Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992, FEMA’s Mitigation Assessment Team conducted a

study of various building types and how well they weathered the storm. In their summary

the Mitigation Assessment team concluded that the masonry buildings and wood-framed



modular buildings performed relatively well.” The report went on to state that overall,

relatively minimal structural damage was noted in modular housing developments. The

module-to-module combination of the units appears to have provided an inherently rigid

system that performed much better than conventional residential framing. This is

documented research from a government agency attesting to the fact that modular

construction is a more durable and rigid building system than conventional construction.

Another example of modular construction’ durability can be seen in San Antonio. The

Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel is a 21-storey concrete modular hotel built in 1968, still in

use today, this believed to be the tallest modularly-constructed facility in the United

States.

5.3 COST AND TIME SAVINGS

Primarily, four stages make up a modular construction project. First, design approval by

the end user and any regulating authorities; second, assembly of module components in a

controlled environment; third, transportation of modules to a final destination; and fourth,

erection of modular units to form a finished building. Modular contractors manufacture

buildings (or contract to have buildings manufactured) at off-site locations. Responding

to customer requests, they typically operate as general contractors on projects,

coordinating the delivery, installation, site work and finish of the building. Construction

primarily occurs indoors away from harsh weather conditions preventing damage to

building materials and allowing builders to work in comfortable conditions. Unique to

modular construction, while modules are being assembled in a factory, site work is

occurring at the same time or in some cases prior to construction. This allows for much

earlier building occupancy and contributes to a much shorter overall construction period,

reducing labor, financing and supervision costs. Saving even more time and money,

nearly all design and engineering disciplines are part of the manufacturing process.

Also unique to modular construction is the ability to simultaneously construct a building’s

floors, walls, ceilings, rafters, and roofs. During site-built construction, walls cannot be

set until floors are in position, and ceilings and rafters cannot be added until walls are

erected. On the other hand, with modern modular methods of construction, walls, floors,

ceilings, and rafters are all built at the same time, and then brought together in the same

factory to form a building. This process often allows modular construction times of half

that of conventional, stick-built construction. These practical time and money saving



alternatives to site built buildings effectively meet the specialized needs of diverse

businesses. Customers served by modular construction include federal, state, provincial,

and local governments, school boards, corporations, non-profit organizations, retail

establishments, healthcare providers, as well as individuals, partnerships, and sole

proprietorships. Other uses include medical facilities, airport facilities,,military

installations, restaurants, churches, and remote telecommunications stations.

Fig 5.1 Advantages of a Modular Construction Schedule

(Permanent Modular Construction 2011 Annual Report)

5.4 SURFACES AND FINISHES

Modular buildings can be assembled on top of multiple foundation surfaces, such as a

crawl space, stilts (for areas that are prone to flooding), full basements or standard slab at

grade. They can also be built to multi-story heights.Motels and other multi-family

structures have been built using modular construction techniques. The height that a

modular structure can be built to depends on jurisdiction but a number of countries,

especially in Asia, allow them to be built to 24 floors and possibly even more. Exterior

wall surfaces can be finalize in the plant production process or in the case of brick/stone

veneers field applications may be the builder’s choice. Roof systems also can be a part of

separate from applied in the field after the basic installation is completed.

5.5. CE MARKING

The CE mark is a construction norm that guarantees the user of mechanical resistance and

strength of the structure. It is a label given by European community empowered

authorities for end-to-end process mastering and traceability.

All manufacturing operations are being monitored and recorded

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basement

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motels

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CE_mark

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_community



have to be known and certified

Suppliers Raw materials and goods being sourced are to be recorded by batch used

Elementary products are recorded and their quality is monitored

Assembly quality is managed and assessed on a step by step basis

When a modular unit is finished, a whole set of tests are performed and if quality

standards are met, a unique number and EC stamp is attached to and on the unit.

This ID and all the details are recorded in a database dedicated to quality. At any

time, the producer has to be able to answer and provide all the information from

each step of the production of a single unit, - The EC certification guaranties

standards in terms of durability, resistance against wind and earthquakes

6. APPLICATION OF MODULAR CONSTRUCTION IN HIGH-

RISE BUILDINGS

Modular construction is widely used in Europe for multi-story residential buildings. A

review of modular technologies is presented, which shows how the basic cellular

approach in modular construction may be applied to a wide range of building forms and

heights The combination of modules with steel or concrete frames increases the range of

design opportunities, particularly for mixed-use commercial and residential buildings.

6.1 SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT OF THE MODULES

Designing with modular construction is not a barrier to creativity. Modular rooms or pairs

of rooms or room and corridor modules can be used to create varieties of apartment types.

These types can be put together to make interesting and varied buildings of many forms.

The nature of high-rise buildings is such that the modules are clustered around a core or

stabilizing system. The particular features of the chosen modular system have to be well

understood by the design team at an early stage so that the detailed design conforms to the

limits of the particular system.For modules with load-bearing walls, the side walls of the

modules should align vertically through the building, although openings of up to 2.5 m

width can be created, depending on the loading. For modules with corner posts, the walls

are non-load-bearing, but thecorner posts must align and be connected throughout the

building height. Additional intermediate posts may be required in long modules,so that

the edge beams are not excessively deep.The design of high-rise modular buildings is

strongly influencedby structural, fire, and services requirements. The optimum use of

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database



modular construction can achieved by designing the highly serviced and hence more

expensive parts of the building in modular form and the more open-plan space as part of a

regular structural frame in steel or concrete. This requires careful consideration of the

architecture and spatial planning of the building.

6.1.2 STRUCTURAL ACTION OF TALL MODULAR BUILDINGS

The structural behavior of an assembly of modules is complex because of the influence of

the tolerances in the installation procedure, the multiple inter connections between the

modules, In modular systems with load-bearing walls, axial load is transferred via direct

wall-to-wall bearing, taking into account eccentricities in manufacture and installation of

the modules, which causes additional buildup of moments and accentuates the local

bearing stresses at the base of the wall.The ability of an assembly of modules to resist

applied loads inthe event of serious damage to a module at a lower level is dependent on

the development of tie forces at the corners of the modules. The loading at this so-called

accidental limit state is generally taken as the self-weight plus one-third of the imposed

load, reflecting the average loading on all floors in this rare event. To satisfy “robustness”

in the event of accidental damage to one of the modules, the tie forces between the

adjacent modules may be established on the basis of a simplified model in which the

module is suspended from its neighbors. For design purposes, it is recommended that the

minimum horizontal force in any tie between the modules is taken as not less than 30% of

the total load acting on the module and not less than 30 kN (3 tons).

6.2 CASE STUDIES

6.2.1 Victoria Hall, Wolverhampton, UK

A 25-story modular construction project in Wolverhampton in the midlands of England

was studied to obtain data on the construction process. It has three blocks of 8 to 25

stories and in total consists of 824 modules. The tallest building is Block A, which is

shown in Fig 6.1 during construction. The total floor area in these three buildings is

20;730 m2 (223;000 ft2), including a podium level. The floor area of the modules

represents 79% of the total floor area. The average module size was 21 m2 (226 ft2) but

the maximum size was as large as 37 m2 (398 ft2).



Fig 6.1 StoryModular Building in Wolverhampton

(Sri Velamati, 2012 (MIT))

The project started on site in July 2008 and was handed over to the client in August 2009

(a total of 59 weeks). Installation of the modules started in October 2008 after completion

of the podium slab, and construction of the concrete core to Block A was carried out in

parallel with the module installation on Blocks C and B. Importantly, the use of offsite

technologies meant that the site activities and storage of materials were much less than in

traditionalconstruction, which was crucial to the planning of this project.The tallest

building, Block A, has various set-back levels using cantileveredmodules to reduce its

apparent size. Lightweight claddingwas used on all buildings and comprises a mixture of

insulatedrender and composite panels.

6.2.2 Phoenix Court, Bristol, UK

As is the case in the Phoenix, modular construction may be combined with steel or

concrete frames to extend the flexibility in space planning in applications where the

dimensional constraints of modular systems would otherwise be too restrictive. An



adaptation of modular technology is to design a ‘podium’ or platform structure on which

the modules are placed. In this way, open space can be provided for retail or commercial

use or below ground car parking. Support beams should align with the walls of the

modules and columns are typically arranged on a 20 to 26 ft grid. A column grid of 24 ft

was considered optimum for parking in the UK at ground floor or basement levels as it

provides for 3 parking spaces.

Fig 6.2 Phoenix Court, Bristol, UK


The 12 story dormitory and commercial building in Bristol in the west of England in

which 6 to 10 stories of modules sit on a 2 story steel framed podium. The 400 bedroom

modules are a 9ft external width, and approximately 100 modules are combined in pairs

to form larger studios consisting of 2 rooms. The kitchen modules are 12 ft external

width. Stability is provided by four braced steel cores, into which some modules are

placed. The floor plan form is illustrated in Fig 6.2. A double corridor is provided so that

a cluster of 5 rooms forms one compartment for life safety purposes. Stability is provided

by the braced steel cores and the maximum number of 5 modules is placed between the

cores in order to limit the forces in the connections to the core. The building used a

lightweight cladding system consisting of a ‘rain screen’ in which the self weight of the

cladding is supported by the modules. The air- and weather-tight layers and the majority of

insulation are provided within the module as delivered



6.2.3 Atlantic Yards, Brooklyn, New York

Fig 6.3 Atlantic Yards, Brooklyn, New York


The $4.9 billion Atlantic Yards project is the redevelopment of 22 acres in downtown

Brooklyn by Forest City Ratner Companies that will include approximately 6 million

square feet of residential space (6,430 units of affordable and market-rate housing), a

state of the art sports and entertainment arena, the Barclays Center, 247,000 square feet of

retail use, approximately 336,000 square feet of office space and 8 acres of publicly

accessible open space. All 6,430 residential units are scheduled to be constructed utilizing

modular manufacturing, which make it the tallest and largest modular project in the

world. The project also includes major transportation improvements, including a new

storage and maintenance facility for the LIRR and a new subway entrance to the Atlantic

Terminal Transit Hub, the third largest hub in the City. The project’s Master Plan was

designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. The first residential building is B2 and

comprised 363 units in a 32 story tower and will utilize approximately 930 modules.

(New York City Housing Development Corporation, 2012) The project has been delayed

due to economic market conditions and local politics; however, Forest City must begin



construction by May 2013 or pay $5 million in penalties for every year the project is

behind schedule .( 2011)

The modules would be constructed with most interior finishes, mechanical electrical and

exterior finishes completed at the factory. The current module design utilizes corner post

steel construction with lateral bracing. Kitchen and bathroom subassemblies are then

attached to the steel superstructure. Then MEP and interior/exterior finishes are attached

to the module prior to onsite delivery. Although the building utilizes central cores the

height of the building dictated additional use of steel bracing that allow the modules to

attach and transfer loads downwards without directly attaching to the central core. More

detailed information on the project is not available due to Forest City’s desire to maintain

proprietary data in house.

The modular manufacturing would be produced by union labor in New York City and

was pitched to unions and the community as a way to expand manufacturing export

opportunities from NYC. Modular was also touted as having the potential to introduce

union labor into affordable housing development at scale for the first time in New York

City.

Modular buildings built in NYC must meet the NYC Building Code as well as all fire and

life safety codes. The construction is non-combustible and is subject to the same

requirements and provisions as conventional construction. Manufacturing is six times

safer than on-site construction. (HAPREST Research Project, 2004). Conventional on-site

workers are also safer as they are primarily working within finished, enclosed portions of

the building away from the typical risks of an open construction site. When building a

modular project compared to an equivalently traditionally built project there is reduced

energy consumption of up to 67% (ARUP Research & Development). It is further

anticipated that modular construction could save 20% of construction cost and at least

60% of the total construction would be done in the factory. (Kastenbaum, 2011) The

financial and schedule savings are higher at Atlantic Yards due to the vast economies of

scale of the 6,430 units.

7. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

7.1 DURING THE CONSTRUCTION



The main environmental benefits during the construction operation are derived from the

shorter construction period, which lessens the impact on the local environments. Waste is

drastically reduced because of efficient factory production, and the reduced damage or

use of packaging materials on-site. There are other local environmental benefits of the

construction operation, which are identified as follows:

Site installation of the modular units is a rapid and quiet operation that can be done ‘just

in time’, with no requirement for site storage or additional noisy equipment.

The delivery and installation of the modular units can be timed to observe any site

working or road traffic constraints.

The delivery of a large number of relatively small amounts of site materials is much

reduced.

Less waste is created so dumping of material waste from site is much reduced to less

than 30% of a conventional project. Foundation excavation is minimised and there

are fewer potentially wasteful site activities.

Materials are used more efficiently, with considerable economy of use in production

than is achievable on site.

The main construction operations are less disruptive to adjacent or connected

properties in terms of pollution and associated nuisance, etc.

7.2 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS IN USE

The environmental benefits in use concern the high level of performance that can be

achieved economically, as follows:

Good acoustic insulation is provided due to the separation between the modules.

Good thermal insulation can be provided easily in light steel framing by creating a

‘warm frame’. These buildings are very efficient thermally, leading to reductions in

energy use and consequent CO2 emission.

Modular units are very stiff and strong, due largely to requirements for lifting and

transportation, and therefore have a solid ‘feel’.

All light steel framed structures require minimal maintenance and no call-backs for

shrinkage, etc.



7.3 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS IN REUSE

The benefits in terms of re-use are:

Modular buildings can be extended easily (or reduced in size) as demand changes.

Modular units are fully relocatable at modest cost, with consequent reduced energy

cost in dismantling, and no wastage of materials.

Long-term use of scarce resources is reduced

8. DISADVANTAGES

TRANSPORTATION COST

Need of modular shipment to the project site for permanent installation.

Increased shipping cost for the project.

Requirement of double handling as equipment and materials are shipped

to the site.

MODULE SIZE LIMITATION

Different restriction for each mode of transport trucks, train.

Design must consider dividing modules according to transportation

constrains.

TRANSPORTATION ACCESSIBILITY

Modules must be shipped to the site

Access site constrains should be carefully considered, especially in dense

urban areas.

9. CONCLUSION

The module-to-module combination of the units appears to have provided an inherently

rigid system that performed much better than conventional buildings. Modular

construction is a construction method in which all of the pieces of a building, known as

modules, are manufactured in a factory and then delivered to a job site to be put in place

by a crane. Modular construction incorporates skilled labor, assembly line production,

high efficiency, consistent quality, and speed. Modular construction is not a new building

method. It has been used to manufacture prefabricated homes, temporary offices, and



mobile homes. Manufacturing takes place in a large factory where each module is sent

down an assembly line. Work is completed at each station along the assembly line by

skilled professionals. Division of labor amongst skilled laborers ensures that all work is

done quickly and with great precision. Modular construction generates a lot less waste

than stick-built construction. Because modular construction is completed inside a

controlled environment, there is no risk of having materials damaged by moisture

penetration. This gives modularly built projects an interior air quality that is greatly

superior to stick-built construction. Because of all of these things, modular construction is

considered much “greener”.



REFERENCES

R. Mark Lawson, Ray G. Ogden and Rory Bergin( 2012)ASCE. Application of Modular

Constructionin High-Rise Buildings

Said, H., Ali, A., and Alshehri, M. (2014) Analysis of the Growth Dynamics and

Structure of the Modular Building Construction Industry. Construction Research

Congress 2014: pp. 1977-1986.(ASCE)

Tomas U. GanironJr and Mohammed Almarwae(2014)IJAST. Prefabricated

Technology in a Modular HouseVol.73 , pp.51-74

HyungKeun Park and Jong-Ho (2015) KSCE Journal OfCivil Engineering Unit

modular in fill construction in high rise building

In Hong Kong: A review of the public and the private sector.” Automation in

Construction, vol. 18, no.3, (2009), pp. 239-248.

Park, H. and Ock, J. (2015). "Unit modular in-fill construction method for high-rise

buildings." KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering,

Memari, A., Huelman, P., Iulo, L., Laquatra, J., Martin, C., McCoy, A., Nahmens, I.,

and Williamson, T. (2014). "Residential Building Construction: State-of-the-Art

Review." Journal of Architectural Engineering, 10.1061/(ASCE)



Contents

1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................................1

2. ADVANTAGES OF MODULAR BUILDING ...................................................................................................................1

3. CONSTRUCTION OF MODULAR BUILDING ...............................................................................................................2

3.1 COLLECTIO N OF MATERIAL.................................................................................................................................3

3.2 FABRICATIO N OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS ..................................................................................................4

3.4 TRANSPORTED TO THE SITE............................................................................................................................5

3.5 MODULAR HOUSE ASSEMBLED ON SITE............................................................................................................6

4. INSPECTIO N AND QUALITY CO NTRO L .......................................................................................................................7

5. CHARACTERISTICS OF MODULAR BUILDINGS ..........................................................................................................8

5.1. BUILDING STRENGTH ...........................................................................................................................................8

5.2 DURABILITY AND LIFE CYCLE OF MODULAR CO NSTRUCTION ......................................................................9

5.3 COST AND TIME SAVINGS ................................................................................................................................ 10

5.4 SURFACES AND FINISHES ................................................................................................................................... 11

5.5. CE MARKING ...................................................................................................................................................... 11

6. APPLICATION OF MODULAR CONSTRUCTIO N IN HIGH- RISE BUILDINGS...................................................... 12

6.1 SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT OF THE MODULES .................................................................................................. 12

6.1.2 STRUCTURAL ACTION OF TALL MODULAR BUILDINGS ............................................................................. 13

6.2 CASE STUDIES....................................................................................................................................................... 13

6.2.1 Victoria Hall, Wolverhampton, UK ........................................................................................................... 13

6.2.2 Phoenix Court, Bristol, UK ........................................................................................................................ 14

6.2.3 Atlantic Yards, Brooklyn, New York ........................................................................................................ 16

7. ENVIRO NMENTAL BENEFITS .................................................................................................................................... 17

7.1 DURING THE CONSTRUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 17

7.2 ENVIRO NMENTAL BENEFITS IN USE ............................................................................................................... 18

7.3 ENVIRO NMENTAL BENEFITS IN REUSE............................................................................................................ 19

8. DISADVANTAGES ...................................................................................................................................................... 19

9. CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................................................. 19

REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................................... 21

Date post:	22-Jan-2018
Category:	Education
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Seminar on modular building

Education