TY - JOUR
T1 - New interlocking inter-module connection for modular steel buildings
T2 - Experimental and numerical studies
AU - Lacey, Andrew William
AU - Chen, W.
AU - Hao, Hong
AU - Bi, Kaiming
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge the financial support from the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council (ARC). The first author acknowledges the support received through the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. The authors acknowledge the support of Dr. Arne Bredin, Mr. Rob Walker, and Mr. Mick Elliss in the civil engineering laboratory at Curtin University.
Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge the financial support from the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council (ARC). The first author acknowledges the support received through the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. The authors acknowledge the support of Dr. Arne Bredin, Mr. Rob Walker, and Mr. Mick Elliss in the civil engineering laboratory at Curtin University.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2019/11/1
Y1 - 2019/11/1
N2 - To improve the constructability and performance of modular buildings, a number of inter-module connections have been developed, each with their own associated advantages and disadvantages. Interlocking inter-module connections have emerged as a promising type of improvement; however, it is not clear how to provide the required installation tolerance without allowing slip. At the same time, the existing model for the shear force-slip behaviour is known to be inadequate. This study introduces a novel interlocking inter-module connection which combines structural bolts with interlocking elements to improve the constructability and shear force-slip behaviour. An experimental study was conducted to investigate the shear force-slip behaviour of the proposed connection. The effects of the interlocking elements, bolt preload, hole tolerance, and fabrication and assembly tolerance on the shear behaviour are evaluated and discussed. Numerical simulations were carried out to support the experimental program, following which the distinguishing features of the force-slip behaviour were examined, and an empirical model was proposed.
AB - To improve the constructability and performance of modular buildings, a number of inter-module connections have been developed, each with their own associated advantages and disadvantages. Interlocking inter-module connections have emerged as a promising type of improvement; however, it is not clear how to provide the required installation tolerance without allowing slip. At the same time, the existing model for the shear force-slip behaviour is known to be inadequate. This study introduces a novel interlocking inter-module connection which combines structural bolts with interlocking elements to improve the constructability and shear force-slip behaviour. An experimental study was conducted to investigate the shear force-slip behaviour of the proposed connection. The effects of the interlocking elements, bolt preload, hole tolerance, and fabrication and assembly tolerance on the shear behaviour are evaluated and discussed. Numerical simulations were carried out to support the experimental program, following which the distinguishing features of the force-slip behaviour were examined, and an empirical model was proposed.
KW - Bolted connection
KW - Inter-module connection
KW - Modular building
KW - Slip resistance
KW - Stiffness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85073706085&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.engstruct.2019.109465
DO - 10.1016/j.engstruct.2019.109465
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85073706085
SN - 0141-0296
VL - 198
JO - Engineering Structures
JF - Engineering Structures
M1 - 109465
ER -