Modular Construction System with Hollow Structural Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost of construction for high-rise buildings is exacerbated by onsite labor-intensive tasks, which become inefficient and costly as construction elevations increase, leading to prolonged construction schedules and increased costs due to material and labor movement challenges.
Innovation Solution
A modular building construction system where prefabricated modules with pre-installed reinforcement and formwork are assembled according to a floor plan, with concrete poured into columns and slabs to form structural elements, reducing onsite work and utilizing self-sealing gaskets and hinged envelope closures for efficient and rapid assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional onsite construction methods are used for high-rise buildings, then construction can be performed with traditional materials and techniques, but labor costs increase and construction efficiency decreases as elevation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The building is divided into modular units that can be constructed separately and then assembled. Each module contains pre-installed reinforcement and formwork, allowing parallel fabrication and reducing onsite labor requirements. This segmentation enables efficient high-rise construction by eliminating the need to perform labor-intensive tasks at elevated positions.
Solution Approach 2:
Reinforcement and formwork are pre-installed on modules during factory fabrication before the modules are transported to the construction site. This preliminary action eliminates the need for workers to perform these tasks at height, significantly improving construction efficiency and safety while maintaining structural integrity.
2Productivity
If prefabricated modules are used to reduce onsite labor, then construction costs and time are reduced, but the complexity of module assembly and connection increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple construction elements including reinforcement, formwork, and structural components are merged into integrated modular units. This combination simplifies the assembly process on-site, as entire assemblies are installed as single units rather than being constructed piece-by-piece, thereby reducing assembly complexity despite the sophisticated nature of the modules themselves.
3Ease of manufacture
If more onsite work is replaced with prefabricated factory work, then construction costs are reduced, but the initial setup and logistics of module transportation and assembly become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The modular units are designed with universal connection details and standardized interfaces that can accommodate various building configurations and heights. This universality simplifies logistics and assembly procedures, as the same module design and connection methods can be repeated throughout the project, reducing the complexity of transportation and assembly planning.
Data Source
AI summary
A building module for use in construction of a building comprising a deck oriented in a horizontal plane and a plurality of hollow structural members extending downwardly from around a periphery of the deck. A method of constructing a building comprising placing a plurality of prefabricated modules according to a floor plan to form a story of the building, pouring concrete into the hollow structural members of the plurality of modules to form structural columns, pouring concrete onto the decks of the plurality of prefabricated modules for form structural slabs, and allowing the structural columns and structural slabs to set to complete the story of the building. Embodiments include a plurality of techniques for sealing adjacent prefabricated modules and for installing a balcony on the prefabricated modules.