Design features of modular buildings

The paper is devoted to modular buildings as а current topic of modern construction. A significant number of studies on this topic have appeared both in Russia and abroad in last years. It is necessary to classify modular buildings and highlight their design features to systematize the research. The main distinguishing feature of modular construction is the erection of a structure from volumetric modular blocks manufactured at the factory, each of which must also fully meet the requirements of functional, technical, economic feasibility and architectural expressiveness. Steel or wood is a common materials for modular constructions. Steel modular buildings have become more widespread due to their greater bearing capacity, so the paper provides a classification of modular buildings with a steel structure. Modular buildings are classified according to the following features: structural system of the building (arrangement and load transmission from one module to other); framework of modules (bearing structures of individual modules); nodal connections. There is two types of nodal connections: intermodular (joints of modules to each other) and intramodular (joints of beams and columns inside the module). Based on a review of literature sources and an analysis of advantages and disadvantages, the most common structural solutions for modular buildings in the Russian Federation were identified: buildings from stacked modules with support columns, intermodular joints on welding and welded intramodular joints. However, this provision does not limit research on modular buildings of other design solutions.