Development of transportation loading spectra for building modules based on a vehicle-module interaction model

Abstract

The wastage associated with the damage of single building modules when subjected to dynamic loading (termed transportation loading) from heavy vehicles during road transportation is a primary deterrent to the adoption of modular construction. In this paper, generalized transportation loading spectra were developed to quantify transportation loading for the structural design of building modules. First, a shaking table test was conducted on a scaled-down model representing the module transportation scenario to explore the resonant responses between the vehicle and module. Then, a proposed vehicle-module interaction model accurately simulated the vertical acceleration responses derived from the shaking table test. Finally, the vehicle-module interaction model was extended to a realistic module transportation situation; the acceleration power spectral densities (PSDs) on the vehicle chassis from the extended models characterized the loading spectra. A parametric study involving vehicle type, module category, road roughness, and travel speed demonstrates that the loading spectra consist of five scalable PSDs under Class A-E roads (from A-H classification of ISO 8608). Three peaks are observed in each PSD, with two high peaks consistent with measured PSDs from the literature. Among the spectra, PSDs under B-D roads are applicable for most module transportation scenarios.