Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

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.

Dept. of Civil Engg. 1 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

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

Dept. of Civil Engg. 2 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

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.

Dept. of Civil Engg. 3 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

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 ceilings areall produced flat for both
efficiency and safety."Flow Line" principles are employed in the factory, the floors
and bathroom pods are brought 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.

Modular building model

Collection of Material

The most common construction is wooden and steel frame shown in Figure
insulated and decorated with wooden cladding and other lightweight materials. This
type gives less weight which is good for transportation. We can reduce expenses of

Dept. of Civil Engg. 4 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

materials ordering them directly from producing companies, avoiding premiums of

construction designers. Materials are kept under roof without any weather damage.

well-seasoned wood

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
Dept. of Civil Engg. 5 GPTC Mananthavady
Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

of the modules are typically primed and the modules are prepared for
transportation.

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.

Dept. of Civil Engg. 6 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

Transported by trucks to the sites

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.

Dept. of Civil Engg. 7 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

Dept. of Civil Engg. 8 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

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.

Dept. of Civil Engg. 9 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

APPLICATION OF MODULAR CONSTRUCTION IN HIGHRISE

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.

Spatial Arrangement of the Modules

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

rooms or pair 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. T10-110he 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 the corner 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 influenced by structural, fire, and
services requirements. The optimum use of 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

Dept. of Civil Engg. 10 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

steel or concrete. This requires careful consideration of the architecture and spatial
planning of the building.

CASE STUDIES

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.

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

Dept. of Civil Engg. 11 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

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.

Dept. of Civil Engg. 12 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS IN USE & ENVIRONMENTAL

BENEFITS IN REUSE

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.

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

Dept. of Civil Engg. 13 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

DISADVANTAGES OF MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

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.

Dept. of Civil Engg. 14 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

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”.

Dept. of Civil Engg. 15 GPTC Mananthavady

Seminar Report 2018-19 Modular Building as construction method

REFERENCES

 R. Mark Lawson, Ray G. Ogden and Rory Bergin (2012) ASCE.

Application of Modular Construction in 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)

Dept. of Civil Engg. 16 GPTC Mananthavady