Residential Vertical Expansions Using Modular Construction

Modular methods are sometimes used to enhance productivity in residential construction projects. Modular methods, however, are not appropriate for all projects, and the feasibility of success must be studied on a case-by-case basis. In this article, factors that can affect the feasibility of a modular vertical expansion are explored, and the benefits of using a coarse finite-element modeling approach to help identify those factors are discussed. A case study is used to demonstrate this approach and provide project-specific factors, some of which can be generalized to other modular applications. The results of the case study show the important planning information that can be obtained by studying generalized structure behavior in the front-end portion of the design. Findings suggest that matching the construction method to the proper application and diligent front-end planning have a positive effect on the feasibility of multistory modular projects, especially those that have complex issues to contend with, such as vertical expansion. (C) 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.