Rigidity of corrugated plate sidewalls and its effect on the modular structural design

Modular construction comprises of prefabricated, room-sized volumetric units that are normally fully fitted out in factory and installed on-site, thus possessing high constructional efficiency and receiving considerable attention in recent years. However, given the limited design guidance on modular structures, the strengthening effect of sidewalls or wall panels is frequently ignored and is often regarded as a safety stock in practical structural design. This study mainly focused on the stiffness strengthening effect of corrugated sidewalls in a container-like module. The rigidity calculation and a simplified model of a corrugated steel plate sidewall were presented. And then the rigidity contribution of corrugated plate sidewalls was incorporated into the structural design of a multi-story modular apartment. Results indicated that the corrugated plate sidewall in container-like modules can significantly increase the structural rigidity. The presence of modular corrugated plate sidewall can strengthen the lateral resistance and effectively improve the global rigidity of modular structures. The ignorance of corrugated plate stiffness may change the deformation and internal force distribution pattern and may also induce damage risk in modular buildings.