Award Date

12-1-2022

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Engineering (MSE)

Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction

First Committee Member

Jin Ouk Choi

Second Committee Member

Jee Woong Park

Third Committee Member

Moses Karakouzian

Fourth Committee Member

Jaewon Lim

Abstract

The U.S. construction industry is experiencing an increase in demand for further implementation of modular construction due to the significant productivity and project cost-reducing benefits it provides. However, there exist challenges with the modular method, and many of them are well covered by previous studies, except for the effects of transportation-induced impact/vibration on volumetric modules. A previous study examined the effects of transportation-induced impact/vibration on a timber-framed module and identified some valuable findings. But, it did not explore other types of modules, height considerations, and the differences in the magnitude of impact/vibration due to different module maneuvers on the road. Therefore, this case study attempts to validate and develop from the findings of the previous study and explore other aspects of volumetric module transportation that the previous study did not consider. For the case study, an impact/vibration sensor and several cameras were installed on the Mojave Bloom modular house with Steel Structure (HSS) framing, which was designed and constructed by UNLV’s Team Las Vegas for the 2021 Solar Decathlon Design Challenge. The sensor and cameras collected numerical and visual data throughout the Lifting, Transportation, and Offloading phases of module transportation. From analyzing the Front-to-Back Tilt and Left-to-Right Roll data, the use of synchronized hydraulic jacks for lifting and the potential preference of a bogey support system for projects with limited Jobsite laydown space were validated, and the damaged solar panel on the roof of the modular house validated the need for the module height considerations. Moreover, it was observed that making wide turns lead to high Roll values and high speeds lead to high Tilt values. Given the module’s front-to-back secured configuration by the truck and the bogey support system, limiting high Roll values appears to be a higher priority than limiting high Tilt values in minimizing module damage. This case study contributes to the body of knowledge by validating the previous research findings and addressing their limitations by introducing other means for module transportation, the need for further dimensional considerations, and the effects of different module maneuvers. Also, a future research opportunity with an object-tracking method to monitor module interiors has been identified. Consequently, it will help the practitioners rationalize the optimal approaches suited for various volumetric module transportation projects.

Keywords

Modular construction; Modular construction constraints; Module damage; Module lifting; Module offloading; Module transportation

Disciplines

Engineering

File Format

pdf

File Size

6800 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

Rights

IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

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