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Finite Element Analysis on Seismic Behaviour of Novel Joint in Prefabricated Modular Steel Building

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Abstract

In prefabricated modular steel building, joint plays an important role in the structural behaviour and transfer of load among connected modules. In this paper, a new type of bolted joint with tenon-gusset plate as horizontal connection and long beam bolts as vertical connection has been proposed. The nonlinear structural behaviour of the novel joint was analysed against static and quasi-static cyclic loadings by using finite element (FE) software ABAQUS. Numerical study was carried out to predict the lateral load carrying capacity, bending moment capacity, rotational stiffness, failure modes and seismic behaviour of the joint. Connection was simplified with nonlinear spring connector and 3-D beam elements. Parametric study was carried out on the length of column tenon and gap between adjacent modular units. The results revealed that against lateral loads, the gap was generated between the upper and lower parts of joint which resulted in the bearing failure of floor beam (FB). The length of column tenon has obvious while gap between modules showed marginal effect on load carrying capacity and structural behaviour of joint. The simplified joint accurately mimicked load–displacement curve and structural behaviour of detailed joint. Then, FE analysis was justified by analysing test results of innovative connection in the reference. With these evidences, the veracity of the FE analysis for studying nonlinear behaviour of novel joint was confirmed.

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Abbreviations

\(P\) :

Pretension of bolt

\(A_{e}\) :

Effective area of bolt

\(f_{tv}\) :

Tensile strength of bolt

\(\Delta_{yield}\) :

Lateral yield displacement

\(\Delta\) :

Lateral displacement

\(L_{x}\) :

Distance of neutral axis from top of column

\(\emptyset\) :

Rotation

\(E_{s}\) :

Modulus of elasticity

\(\mu\) :

Friction coefficient

\(P_{Test}\) :

Ultimate lateral load capacity of test specimen

\(P_{FE}\) :

Ultimate lateral load capacity of FE model

\(MPa\) :

Mega-Pascal = \(N/mm^{2}\)

\(Pa\) :

Pascal = \(N/m^{2}\)

\(\nu\) :

Poisson’s ratio

\(f_{y}\) :

Yield strength

\(f_{u}\) :

Ultimate strength

\(\varepsilon\) :

Strain

kN:

103 N

P :

Lateral load

m:

meter

mm:

millimetre

Cov:

Coefficient of variation

PFMS:

Prefabricated modular steel

MSB:

Modular steel building

HSS:

Hollow structural section

FE:

Finite element

CB:

Ceiling beam

FB:

Floor beam

FS:

Floor stringer

CS:

Ceiling stringer

CP:

Cover plate

GP:

Gusset plate

AFR:

Axial force ratio

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Acknowledgements

The first author would like to acknowledge the scholarship provided by China scholarship council for his study at Tianjin University, China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, People’s Republic of China

    Kashan Khan

  2. School of Civil Engineering/Key Laboratory of Coast Civil Structure Safety of Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, People’s Republic of China

    Jia-Bao Yan

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  1. Kashan Khan
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Correspondence to Jia-Bao Yan.

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Khan, K., Yan, JB. Finite Element Analysis on Seismic Behaviour of Novel Joint in Prefabricated Modular Steel Building. Int J Steel Struct 20, 752–765 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13296-020-00320-w

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