StructuralComponents 9: Early-stage structural analysis and design of Universal prefab apartment buildings

This research introduces the concept of Universal Prefab (UP), a highly modular building system which uses only prefabricated elements to realise building designs. The discrete structural elements are connected with a standardized connection throughout the entire structure that allows for quick assembly, increasing the efficiency of construction. Royal HaskoningDHV has expressed a need for more efficient design composure and conceptual design validation of Universal Prefab structures. For this a parametric design tool is proposed following the StructuralComponents concept. This concept aims to provide engineers with computational tools suitable for conceptual design. The 2D Flat Stick model (or 'MatrixModel') was devised for the structural analysis. This model represents all two-dimensional elements as one-dimensional (stick-)elements and is analysed by a 3D frame analysis. A protototype was developed, realising the analysis model and an intuitive user interface. Furthermore, the force distribution in non-proportionate UP buildings was thoroughly investigated.Civil Engineerin