Modular and Offsite Construction (MOC) Summit Proceedings
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A comparison between Volumetric Timber Manufacturing Strategies in the UK and mainland Europe
Get PDFThe construction sector in the UK is currently being challenged by an urgent need to produce housing. This requirement is within a context of increasingly stringent greenhouse gas emission legislation and tough goals to reduce build time by 50% and financial cost by 33% by the year 2025. Many agree that these targets and others relating to build quality and productivity can only be achieved with increased utilisation of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). This research study proposes that Volumetric Timber construction (VT) is a suitable system for use in the UK, as it can achieve up to 95% prefabrication in a controlled factory environment combined with rapid onsite construction. There are a variety of VT timber systems on the market, including timber studs, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) and Structurally Insulated Panel (SIP) structures and a variety of production methods. This paper presents findings from a study comparing four VT manufacturers in the UK and four in mainland Europe. Different design and processing methods have been compared and analysed with respect to production type, offsite components and productivity metrics. The findings demonstrate that there are diverse approaches to efficient VT manufacturing and opportunities for flexibility in the design of products to suit local market conditions
Integration of BIM and Computer Simulations in Modular Construction, A Case Study
Get PDFConstruction Sector has long been criticized for its lower productivity compared with other industries. To address the problem, recent years, new construction methods and information techniques such as modular construction and Building Information Modelling (BIM) are developed and implemented. Besides, computer simulations, like Discrete Event Simulation (DES) and Agent Based Simulation (ABS), are also incorporated in construction sector. Despite contributions of the 3 techniques to the industry have been investigated respectively by many researches, more benefits could be brought if they are applied simultaneously. However, there is no comprehensive research yet to combine all of them in a single project. To bridge the research gap, this paper first briefly introduces strengths and current applications of the 3 techniques; then a framework integrating them together containing simulation module, BIM
database module and decision making module is constructed; finally, a case study of a multistoried canteen project is demonstrated to further explain functions of the framework
An Experimental Framework for Investigating the Hygrothermal Properties of Multi-Functional Wood Fibre and XPS Panels for Residential Buildings
Get PDFIn this paper, an experimental setup developed for an ongoing project to investigate the hygrothermal performance of wall systems under different climate conditions is presented. As a step toward establishing the hygrothermal performance of various wood-frame wall assemblies, this research focuses on field experimentation of two types of multi-functional panels (MFPs), along with a conventional wall assembly, in two different locations in Canada: Vancouver, British Columbia, and Edmonton, Alberta. The three wall assembly types are adjacent to one another along the north- and south-facing walls of the test huts in the two cities. This experiment focuses on the effect of the various ambient weather conditions on the two innovative MFPs and on the conventional wall assembly, and on determining the long-term hygrothermal performance of the tested assemblies; it also establishes the passive solar effect on the south-facing assemblies compared to the corresponding north-oriented assemblies. Both MFPs are fixed on the exterior side of a conventional wood-frame wall assembly. The components of the first MFP are 6.4 mm Oriented Strand Board (OSB), 40 mm wood-fiber insulationäóîan environmentally-friendly and fully recyclable materialäóîand 6.4 mm OSB, while those of the second MFP are 6.4 mm OSB, 25 mm Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) core, and 6.4 mm OSB. Along with the details of the experimental setups, some sample data is presented
Evolution Mechanism of Off-site Construction Ecosystem Based on the LotkaäóñVolterra Model: A Case Study
Get PDFOff-site construction (OSC) is an alternative method to conventional construction for solving problems of high energy consumption, high pollution, and poor efficiency. OSC is a reform trend for the global construction industry. The emergence of OSC can influence the production relations in traditional construction industry chain, thereby changing the roles of stakeholders in such new construction sector. Given that most developing countries at present are still in the initial stage of adopting OSC, their construction industry is far from forming healthy and symbiotic ecosystem and highly efficient industry chain. Therefore, the scientific and rapid development of OSC becomes restricted. This study analyzes the mechanism of OSC ecosystem, reduces the vague understanding of OSC by stakeholders, and provides a reference for the strategy planning of stakeholders. From the perspective of bionics, this study aims to (1) establish an OSC ecosystem based on the theory of ecology and delimit the role of stakeholders in the OSC ecosystem, and (2) establish a LotkaäóñVolterra model for the OSC evolution. The OSC development in Beijing is used as an example. Data are collected and models are verified to discuss the state, trend, and turning point of the OSC evolution. The findings of this study can help stakeholders in comprehensively understanding the inherent historical development of OSC and provide a reference for the government decision making
Polymer-based Modular Residential Building Design and Construction äóñ A new Paradigm?
Get PDFThe onsite wood frame method of constructing new buildings has been the norm for residential and basic commercial structures for more than a century. In this review study, we consider investment into plastic composite structures to supplement or replace wood frame home construction. Previous developments in this field often centralize on using a classic composite sandwich panel design: a polymer-based core material adjoined to layers of synthetic fiber-reinforced polymer (e.g. fiberglass). The core of the composite panels is designed to meet demands toward low cost, light weight, and structural rigidity. Different varieties of plastics, including thermosets and thermoplastics, are discussed. Factors that need to be considered in the fabrication of composite modular residential buildings include, but are not limited to, energy consumption (both in building heating and cooling, and fabrication energy usage), fire resistance, resource use, environmental impact, human impact, and cost. Basic fabrication principles and techniques for composite modular panels are reviewed, wherein mechanical and electrical work can be incorporated into the building during panel manufacturing. Methods in which panels can be fabricated in high volumes that enable economies of scale are described. Thusly, recent progress in the application of plastics forming and machining that is applicable to the construction industry, and the feasibility of this type of residential construction are elucidated and discussed holistically
Advancing Formwork Systems for the Production of Precast Concrete Building Elements: from Manual to Robotic
Get PDFoai:jrnl_mocs:article/1The utilization of precast concrete offers significant benefits in terms of increased material efficiency, safety, labor productivity, and reduced time, cost and wastage over conventional on- site construction. In the meantime, challenges exist in the precast concrete production in the high requirements for dimensional accuracy of precast elements, flexibility and reusability of formwork, and stability of shuttering. Formwork systems are a critical component of the precast production line, which is also the key to innovation from manual to automated and robotic. Previous studies seldom examined the competitive features of such systems within the context of the building prefabrication process. The aim of this paper is to explore the future development directions of, and to identify transferable advanced technologies for, advanced formwork systems in the production of precast concrete building elements. The research was carried out by comparing the conventional and advanced approaches drawing on the case of high-rise buildings in Hong Kong. The results indicate that automation and robotic technologies offer unique advantages in the betterment of the formwork system. Besides gains in productivity, reliability and accuracy, the adoption of robotic systems also provide the great benefit of cost-effectiveness owing to the high labor cost and fast growing market in Hong Kong. However, there also exist barriers to advancing formwork systems for precast, including industry and culture reluctance, high capital costs and skill shortages. The findings should contribute to a better understanding of how automated and robotic technologies could advance the formwork systems in the precast production, which can further reap the benefits of prefabrication and facilitate innovation in building industry
Optimum Assembly Planning for Modular Construction Using BIM and 3D Point Clouds
Get PDFGeometric and dimensional deviations often create challenges for component aggregation in the assembly of interchangeable components in modular construction. Although the components are designed interchangeably, once they are fabricated, there are inevitable discrepancies between the designed and built states. Such discrepancies create problems for fitting interchangeable modular components. This paper presents a framework for optimally planning the assembly of interchangeable components based on their as-built state. A 3D point cloud model is captured and the critical interfaces between modules are compared to the original state, integrated in the building information models (BIM), as 3D drawings. The optimization framework is implemented based on two different approaches: (1) minimization of the total deviation for minimizing rework, and (2) intervention of rework by finding the best matching component for each investigated slot. Results show that the method can be effectively used for reducing rework in modular construction by optimum assembly planning
3d/4d Visualization Framework for Modelling Off-Site Productivity of Modular Construction Housing
Get PDFConstruction, as the process of constructing a building, has diverse range of available software tools which have been developed to support modelling operations, tasks, and processes in the construction industry. 3D visualization as a modelling tool has been widely used to improve modular and off-site construction activities; it allows for seamless information sharing and collaboration among project stakeholders, and also provides opportunities for improvements suggested by the project team. This paper presents a framework for modelling the off-site modular construction of housing at the Kent Homes manufacturing facility through 3D/4D visualization. A case study is represented to illustrate the potential for production improvement
Lessons from Sweden: How Australia Can Learn from Swedish Industrialised Building
Get PDFOver the past decade, Australia has witnessed increased interest in industrialised building, particularly in the production of housing. This has happened under many different banners, including: prefabricated, modular, transportable and offsite construction methodologies. This interest has grown from a combination of factors, including: increased rate of housing construction and density; rising property and construction costs; the desire for increased efficiency and productivity; and a concern for the quality and sustainability of building systems. Historically, Australia has played an episodic role in the emergence of prefab and transportable buildings since the colonial era, but it does not have a longstanding industrialised building industry. In this context, an analysis of the experiences of North American, European and Japanese examples, provides valuable insights. This paper focuses on Swedenäó»s approach to industrialised building and the lessons it holds for the emerging Australian sector. Sweden represents a valuable case study because of similarities between the two countries, including: the high standard of living, cost of labour, and design and quality expectations; along with geographic and demographic similarities. Conversely, stark differences between the national situation also co-exist, notably climate, business approaches, political outlook, and cultural factors. In the 1950s, Swedish companies exported prefab houses to Australia to combat the Post-War housing shortage, which also supplies a historical dimension to the comparison. Most importantly, Sweden boasts a longstanding industrialised building industry, both in terms of practice and theory. This paper will survey and compare the Swedish industry, and its potential relevance for Australia. Areas of discussion include: the relationship between industry and academy (practice and theory); the diversity of technique and methodologies and how they may be adapted; platform thinking (technical and operational); the staged industrialisation of conventional practices; and the importance of a socially, environmental and design-led practice of building
Recovery time analysis of back muscle fatigue in panelized residential modular construction factory
Get PDFConstruction workers in panelized construction factory settings are often exposed to physically demanding and repetitive activities during panel assembly, which requires manual processes. Consequently, these factory workers are often exposed to potential risks, namely work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), due to muscle fatigue. Therefore, it is important to evaluate levels of fatigue and provide appropriate interventions to minimize the health risk of workers. Previous studies have shown that sufficient rest could reduce risk of WMSDs from fatigue and is considered one of most practical way to minimize risk. Rest break schedule analysis on workeräó»s fatigue in different industries has been documented; however, to the authoräó»s knowledge, the analysis on panelized construction has not yet been studied. To address this gap, fatigue of workers is estimated using an equation, which was derived mathematically, in terms of recovery time compared with break time schedule. A case study of a panelized construction factory in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is performed to evaluate the effectiveness of rest break schedules. The results from the case study show that workers at the panelized construction factory require more frequent and longer break time to reduce potential risk of WMSDs