Lateral stability design and modelling of high-rise fully modular buildings with superelastic tendon restrained rocking isolation

The merits of modular building construction in terms of improved quality control, high energy efficiency and minimising on-site construction activities are well known. Fully self-supporting volumetric modular steel buildings (referred to here as fully modular buildings), constructed from volumetric modules without lateral support from separate structural walls or braced frames, are typically low-rise because of limitations with their lateral stability which is wholly derived from the inter-module connections. This article introduces the design of a new form of construction featuring the use of superelastic tendons to restrain the rocking of the upper tower of a fully modular high-rise building about a pivot at the base podium. Rocking isolation of a vertically prestressed building tower enables the performance objectives to be set at low damage in a rare earthquake event. In ambient or windy conditions, the tower is held firm and its behaviour is likened to a conventional fixed-base high-rise building. The proposed design procedure is presented in a step-by-step format and is illustrated with a case study of a 24-storey fully modular building.