Structural Performance of Novel Steel Connection for Indigenous Modular Houses

Canada is suffering from a persistent housing shortage, especially in Indigenous communities, which was reported by the United Nations Assembly General on Adequate Housing in 2019. Modular housing is considered an adequate solution to reduce the shortage of housing needs. Prefabricated modular structures are becoming popular in the construction industry, particularly during times of high demand (e.g., after a natural hazard), through which components of the building are prefabricated off-site in a controlled setting and then transported and assembled on-site. Although volumetric modular structures have been widely used, this module is not ideal for transporting to remote areas (e.g., Indigenous communities). The transportation of these units and lifting processes can risk damaging both the structural and non-structural members. Alternatively, the current study proposed a novel modular connection configuration for connecting the modular panels (i.e., two-dimensional) using bolted connection on-site to build volumetric housing and avoid transportation limitations without elevating costs. This current study aimed to numerically investigate the mechanical and deformation behavior of the proposed beam-to-column connection for steel modular structures under monotonic loads. Two geometric parameters: the extended plate’s thickness and bolt arrangement (square and rectangle) were examined using non-linear finite-element modeling to investigate their effect on the connection moment capacity and its inelastic rotation. All specimens showed local buckling and bolt-bearing failures within the beam member.