Each accommodation unit of InnoCell is a MiC module formed by structural steel sections with corner boxes along the perimeters and secondary beams at the top and bottom planes to support the floor slab and ceiling. The floor of each module is formed with 100mm concrete and the walls along the long sides are formed with corrugated sheets. Each module was fabricated in a factory with all MEP provisions, interior finishes and furniture installed before being transported to the site for installation.
As the physical separation between the MiC modules results in discontinuity of the floor slabs between them, we studied the stiffness, deformation and stress of the individual slabs, as well as the stiffness of the framing layout formed by the interconnection between modules, and how the lateral forces are transferred to the cores. The central communal areas formed by in-situ RC flat slabs tie all MiC modules together to form a compact floor diaphragm capable to transfer the loads back to the cores.
We have a number of innovative design features for InnoCell, including the use of preloaded bolts (or high friction grip bolts), which play a vital role in the transmission of lateral forces across MiC modules to the in-situ concrete cores at each floor. We also derived a method to check the design of the composite wall based on a Vierendeel truss approach, as there is no design guide being available to evaluate the shear/web buckling of the thin wall panel acting as the beam web.