Modular Structural Units for Rapid Assembly and Reconfiguration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Alaskan communities face challenges in obtaining sustainable, efficient, and adaptable housing solutions due to remote locations and extreme environments, with existing housing not utilizing local lumber resources and being non-moveable, non-convertible, or non-expandable.
Innovation Solution
A structural system comprising modular, interchangeable structural units with an inner frame, outer frame, and connecting elements that can be easily assembled and reconfigured, providing airtight, energy-efficient, and cost-effective building solutions suitable for extreme temperatures, and can be used to construct various structures including residential and commercial buildings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional housing construction methods are used, then structures can provide stable support, but assembly and reconfiguration are time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The structure is divided into modular structural units, each comprising an inner frame, outer frame, and connecting elements. These standardized modules can be independently manufactured and rapidly assembled on-site, dramatically improving assembly productivity while maintaining structural integrity through repetitive standardized connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The structural units are designed with universal dimensions and connection methods that allow the same basic module to serve multiple functions and be configured in various arrangements. This universality enables rapid deployment across different building types and scales without requiring custom-designed components for each application.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing housing designs are used, then structures can provide basic shelter, but they are non-moveable and non-expandable
Solution Approach 1:
The structural system transitions from static, fixed housing to dynamic, reconfigurable structures. Modules can be easily disassembled, relocated, and reconfigured into different building arrangements or expanded by adding additional modules, allowing the structure to adapt to changing needs while extending its useful lifespan through multiple reuses.
3Weight of moving object
If conventional construction materials and methods are used, then structures can achieve required strength, but they are heavy and difficult to transport
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the structure into modular units with standardized connection points, the system achieves high strength-to-weight ratio. The modular design allows for optimized material usage in each component while maintaining overall structural integrity, and the standardized connections enable strong joints without excessive material consumption.
4Adaptability or versatility
If traditional building approaches are used, then structures can provide basic protection, but they do not utilize local resources or environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The structural system incorporates local quality by allowing modules to be manufactured using locally available materials and labor resources while maintaining standardized design criteria. This enables adaptation to local conditions and resource availability without compromising the fundamental structural performance and connection standards of the modular system.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a structural unit that includes an inner frame having at least one side, an outer frame having at least three sides, and a connecting element, where both the inner frame and the outer frame are positioned parallel to a first reference plane (the xy-plane), the inner frame is positioned within the outer frame, the connecting element physically connects the inner frame and the outer frame, and the connecting element is positioned parallel to the first reference plane.