Development and performance of module-to-core connection for steel-concrete composite modular tall buildings

The effect of lateral load due to wind and earthquakes is significant in the case of modular tall buildings. A lateral load-resisting system such as a stability core is provided to resist the lateral load. The connection between a core system and a module plays a vital role in the structural performance of modular tall buildings. This paper proposes an innovative connection between the steel-concrete composite module and composite shear wall (module-to-core connection) with the help of a novel connector and hollo-bolt, which is very simple in geometry, easy to install, and has fewer components. Moreover, the mechanical behavior of connection under different loading conditions is studied. To determine the shear and tensile capacity of the module-to-core connection based on the finite element simulation, an investigation is carried out considering a vertical sliding load on top of the connector and a horizontal pulling load on the beam perpendicular to the shear wall respectively. A parametric study is carried out considering the diameter and grade of the bolt, spacing of shear studs in a steel-concrete composite shear wall, and thickness of the steel plate of a shear wall and vertical steel plate of the novel connector. Results show that the shear and tensile capacity of the connection is equal to the hollo-bolt's shear and tensile capacity, providing suitable thickness for a steel plate of the composite core wall and novel connector, and enough shear studs around the connection. This study can be the reference for the design of module-to-core connections.