Prefabricated Modular Units for Multi-Story Construction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional construction methods for multi-level buildings are costly and inefficient, making affordable housing unattainable due to high material and labor costs, as well as site-specific challenges like inclement weather and safety issues, which existing prefabricated modular unit technologies do not adequately address.
Innovation Solution
The development of prefabricated modular units designed for multi-story building construction, featuring a structural system with overhanging portions supported by longitudinal beams, complete exterior and interior walls, central corridors, and weight-bearing columns, which are factory-produced to include all necessary infrastructure such as ventilation, plumbing, and electrical systems, allowing for efficient assembly and seismic resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional construction methods are used for multi-level buildings, then structural integrity and functionality can be achieved, but construction costs and time are excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The building is divided into standardized modular units that can be independently manufactured in factories and then assembled on-site. Each module contains complete functional elements (walls, floors, ceilings, services), enabling parallel production and rapid assembly, thus dramatically increasing productivity and reducing construction time
Solution Approach 2:
All construction activities including manufacturing of structural elements, installation of services, and finishing works are performed in advance in factory settings. This preliminary action allows site assembly to be reduced to simple connection operations, eliminating weather-related delays and accelerating the overall construction process
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional construction methods are used, then buildings can be constructed, but material and labor costs are prohibitively high
Solution Approach 1:
Standardized modular segmentation enables repetitive manufacturing processes, optimizing factory production efficiency. The same components are mass-produced multiple times, reducing per-unit manufacturing costs while maintaining high ease of manufacture through standardized procedures and equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the production parameter from site-based construction to factory-based manufacturing. This parameter change enables controlled environments, optimized material usage, reduced waste, and economies of scale, all contributing to lower material costs while maintaining ease of manufacture
3Reliability
If site construction is performed, then buildings can be assembled, but delays occur due to inclement weather and safety issues
Solution Approach 1:
The construction process is extracted from the vulnerable site environment and relocated to controlled factory settings. By taking out the manufacturing activities from the outdoor construction site, the system eliminates exposure to inclement weather, improving reliability while reducing the impact of harmful environmental factors
Solution Approach 2:
All construction activities are completed in advance in protected factory environments before delivery to the site. This preliminary action ensures that critical construction phases are performed under controlled conditions, immune to weather disruptions, thereby enhancing reliability and minimizing weather-related delays
4Strength
If traditional modular units are used, then some prefabrication benefits are achieved, but complete functional integration and seismic resistance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The modular units employ composite construction combining reinforced concrete elements with steel connections. This composite approach provides superior seismic resistance through the complementary properties of the materials while managing structural complexity through standardized detailing and connection systems
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges multiple functional systems (structural support, enclosure, services, finishing) into integrated modular units. This merging reduces the apparent structural complexity at the site by pre-assembling complete functional modules, while internally incorporating sophisticated seismic-resistant structural systems
Data Source
AI summary
A prefabricated modular unit that include a balcony, a living space and part of an interior central corridor of a building. Assembly of a plurality of the prefabricated modular units allows to construct said building.