Seismic performance quantification of steel moment-resisting modular buildings considering structural details

The specific construction process of modular buildings and the need to use unique structural details result in different seismic behavior than their conventional counterparts. The present paper investigates the seismic performance of steel moment-resisting corner-supported modular buildings considering possible specific structural details. Therefore, several models that differ in terms of the connection details of ceiling beams, types of floor beams, the inter-module connection behaviors, and the number of stories are selected as case studies, and their seismic performance factors, including overstrength, ductility, response modification, and displacement amplification factors, are estimated through incremental dynamic analyses. The damage potential of the models is also assessed by comparing their fragilities. The results indicate that the inter-module connection behavior has less impact on the seismic performance of modular buildings compared to other design variables. However, the use of low-strength inter-module connections diminishes the positive effects of rigid ceiling beams on structural performance. It is also found that the combination of rigid ceiling beams and composite floor beams in a model enhances the seismic performance of a structure by increasing the seismic factors. The mean values of response modification and displacement amplification factors are determined to be approximately 5.2 and 3.5, respectively.