| Title |
Evaluation of Connection Stiffness and Nonlinear Analysis in Modular Structures |
| Authors |
김은수(Kim, Eunsu) ; 장대희(Jang, Daehee) ; 김예인(Kim, Yein) ; 이강민(Lee, Kangmin) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2025.41.1.237 |
| Keywords |
Modular System; Connection; Stiffness; Nonlinear Analysis |
| Abstract |
As modular structures grow taller, the impact of lateral loads becomes more significant, making the stiffness of module connections a critical
factor. In practice, these connections are often analyzed as rigid, but their actual stiffness tends to align more closely with simple or
semi-rigid connections. This highlights the need to accurately evaluate connection stiffness and reassess practical design approaches. This study
analyzed the stiffness of 68 specimens from existing modular construction experiments, applying the connection stiffness classification criteria
from AISC360-22 and EC3. Additionally, pushover analysis was conducted to compare the structural behavior of systems with rigid,
semi-rigid, and simple connections. The results showed that the actual stiffness of modular connections was approximately 10% lower than
rigid connections, with a similar 10% reduction in performance during pushover analysis. Structures with rigid connections exhibited the
highest load-sharing ratio for shear walls. These findings suggest that when designing rigid modular connections, it is essential to reassess the
safety of shear walls and adopt a more conservative design approach to account for potential stiffness deviations. |