A review on modular construction for b u i l d i n g s

ARPIT RAJPUT
PCE19CE006, Poornima College of Engineering, Jaipur
E-mail: 2019pceceARPIT06@poornima.org

ABSTRACT

Modular construction is considered as a game-changing technology since it offers faster construction, safer
manufacturing, better quality control, and lower environmental impacts compared with the traditional onsite
construction. These benefits can be maximised in high-rise buildings due to their inherently topological
modular form and the increased number of repeatable modules. However, current applications of modular
construction for high-rise buildings are very limited due to the lack of strong structural systems and joining
techniques to ensure structural integrity, overall stability, and robustness of an entirely modular building. In
addition, the unavailability of design guidelines also inhibits the construction industry in implementing such
technology. With recent advancements in structural systems and materials, there is great potential for real
world applications of modular construction in high-rise buildings. This paper presents a critical review of recent
innovations in modular construction technology for high-rise buildings with an emphasis on structural systems,
joining techniques, progressive collapse and structural robustness. The developments of design codes for
modular construction are also discussed. The paper concludes by highlighting the technical challenges that
hinder the widespread adoption of modular construction, and proposing potential solutions for future
research. This review paper is expected to be a complete reference for experts, researchers and professionals
in this field of study

Keywords:
Modular construction

Modular high-rise building

Inter-module connection

Introduction

Prefabrication construction refers to a construction process where building components are

fabricated in a factory and transported to a construction site for installation. It offers significant
benefits over traditional onsite construction such as faster and safer manufacturing, better quality
control and lower environmental impacts , thereby leading to sustainability benefits in terms of
material efficiency, reduced onsite waste (up to 90% ) and improved working conditions . The use of
modular construction technologies can reduce construction time by 50% and save cost by 20% based
on a case study of recent projects . The concept of prefabrication construction is not new, but its
technology, economic demands and changing mindsets have attracted an unprecedented wave of
interest and investment . It is expected to provide a solution to the affordable housing crisis by
means of providing housing supply quickly with fewer dollars .
Applications of modular technologies for high-rise buildings

Modular construction has been widely used for low-rise buildings worldwide, particularly in UK, North
America, China, Singapore and Australia. Despite the technical challenges in implementing modular
construction technology in high- rise buildings, several modular high-rise buildings have been built in recent
years due to advancements in manufacturing and material technology. However, the number of modular high-
rise buildings worldwide is still limited (less than 1%). Only ten of the world’s tallest modular buildings were
reviewed herein as summarised in. It can be seen that most of the modular high-rise buildings built with 3D
volumetric modules are based on steel, whilst concrete is commonly used in modular high-rise buildings built
by a combination of penalised and volumetric methods .

No. Project Store Year Location Modular type Material Highlight

y
1 Collins House 60 2019 Melbourne, 2D panel and Concrete The tallest building combined both
Australia 3D volume penalised and volumetric methods
2 J57 Mini Sky City 57 2015 Changsha, 2D panel Steel The fastest built buildings upon
tower China completion (in 19 days)
3 Croydon Tower 44 2020 London, UK 3D volume Steel The tallest volumetric modular
building upon completion
4 Atira Student 44 2018 Melbourne, 2D panel and Concrete Combining both penalised and
Accommodation Australia 3D volume volumetric methods
5 La Trobe Tower 44 2016 Melbourne, 2D panel and Concrete Combining both penalised and
Australia 3D volume volumetric methods
6 Clement Canopy 40 2019 Singapore 3D volume Concrete The tallest volumetric modular
building
7 B2 Tower 32 2016 New York, 3D volume Steel The tallest volumetric modular
USA building upon completion
8 T30 Tower 30 2011 Xiangqi, China 2D panel Steel The fastest built buildings upon
completion (in 15 days)
9 Apex House 29 2017 London, UK 3D volume Steel The tallest volumetric modular
building in Europe
10 SOHO Tower 29 2014 Darwin, 3D volume Steel The tallest volumetric modular
Australia building upon completion

LITRETURE REVIEW
Methodology

A systematic research method has been adopted in this review paper. This is considered an effective method to
execute extensive review and identify the research gaps. The systematic review consists of three main stages: (1)
definition of research parameters (i.e., keywords and field limit) and research of the articles, (2) scanning of the
articles and identification of relevant literature, and
(3) review of article content
For the literature research, the Scopus database was employed alone of the most accurate and broad databases.
The research was conducted through the use of keywords in the
‘Article title, Abstract, Keywords’ field and limited to articles and
review papers. The full code implemented in the research field was
“Lean AND Modul* OR Industrial OR off-site OR prefab* ORpanel* OR precast AND Construct* OR Hous*
OR Build*”. Theresearch was also limited for publication years between 2000 and
2018 to ensure relevant literature for modular construction
The first search found 420 articles matching the research parameters. The research was further refined
considering only two relevant subject areas for the topic, namely “Engineering “and “Business, management
and accounting “reducing the number of articles to290. At this stage, all the articles were scanned to identify
the relevant literature. The scanning operation was conducted by inspecting the title and the abstract with the
aim of finding relevant articles focusing on the application of lean techniques to modular construction industry.
Through the scanning operation a total number of 30
articles were selected. Additionally, 5 articles were also identified as relevant from the inspection of the
reference lists of such papers. The selected articles, 35 in total, are reported in Table 2, were
country, type of manufactured structure, and article type (e.g., case study and survey) are specified. The articles
were considered sufficient to do a complete review of the topic. In the last stage, the full
content of each article was analysed and their contribution to the topic estimated. The overall research approach
adopted in this paper is summarized

Conclusions
Modular construction has demonstrated significant benefits in terms of saving construction time, reducing cost
and more importantly alleviating environmental impacts when compared with traditional onsite construction.
The modular method possesses several advantages which are well suited for high-rise buildings and can
thereby shape the future of the construction industry. This paper has provided a comprehensive review of
recent developments of modular technologies with an emphasis on structural aspects of modular buildings
including structural systems, inter-module connections, structural analysis and structural design. Although
modular construction is widely used in low-rise buildings, its applications to high-rise buildings are still limited.
The technical challenges hindering the widespread adoption of modular construction for high-rise buildings
were highlighted and discussed. Some potential solutions to tackle these challenges were also recommended
for future research including: (i) developing a composite module with lighter and stronger structural members,
(ii) developing a smart joining technique with higher strength and stiffness and easy to install, (iii) developing a
computationally efficient computer tool for advanced analysis and daily design of modular tall buildings, and
(iv) developing design guidelines for accelerating the real world application of modular construction. By
resolving technical challenges, modular buildings can be built taller with the new composite modules, faster
(and cheaper) with the smart joining technique, safer with new design provisions, and more efficiently with
computationally efficient tools
Reference
1. World Economic Forum. Shaping the future of construction: A breakthrough in mindset and
technology; 2016

2. Building and Construction Authority. Construction productivity and prefabrication in Singapore; 2017.

3. Modular Building Institute. Permanent Modular Construction Report; 2018 .

4. Building and Construction Authority. Design for manufacturing and assembly prefabricated
prefinished volumetric construction, Singapore; 2018.
5. Building and Construction Authority. Design for manufacturing and assembly BIM essential guide,
Singapore; 2018.
6. Building and Construction Authority. Design for manufacturing and assembly Connections for
advanced precast concrete systems, Singapore adopt new technology