Study on the shear behavior of inter-module connection with a bolt and shear key fitting for modular steel buildings

Due to the advantages of high integration, modular steel buildings have recently received extensive attention and research. The connection between modules (inter-module connection) plays an important role in ensuring the safety and integrity of modular steel buildings. However, most of the existing inter-module connections have problems such as insufficient construction space, difficulty in disassembly, lack of design specifications, etc. An innovative inter-module connection with bolt and shear key fitting was proposed. The connection separates the horizontal load-bearing component and the vertical load-bearing component, which greatly reduces the difficulty of analysis and design. The structure of the connection is convenient for construction and insensitive to installation errors. The structure and advantages of the connection were introduced in this paper, and the shear performance of the connection was studied by the monotonic static test. A finite element model verified with the experiment was proposed to simulate the shear performance of the connection. The influence of errors in fabrication on the performance of the connection was studied using the finite element model, and connection’s operating status in a modular frame was analyzed. Thus the allowance for the clearance between the shear key and slot was obtained. Based on the experimental and numerical study results, a formula was proposed to predict the shear capacity of the connection for the practical design of inter-module connection in modular steel buildings.