Advancing Seismic Resilience: Innovations in the Shape Memory Alloy-Based Self-Centering Systems for Modular Buildings

This chapter investigates the integration of shape memory alloy (SMA)-based self-centering systems in modular buildings to enhance seismic resilience. Modular construction, which involves off-site fabrication of fully finished volumetric modules, offers advantages such as accelerated project completion, enhanced quality control, and minimized environmental disturbance. However, the structural configuration of modular steel buildings (MSBs) presents unique challenges, particularly in seismic resilience. Traditional energy dissipative technologies have been explored, but the application of SMA-based devices, known for their superelasticity and energy dissipation abilities, remains largely unexplored in MSBs. This chapter bridges this research gap by conducting nonlinear time-history analyses to evaluate the performance of self-centering (SC) isolated MSBs equipped with SMA U-shaped dampers (SMAUDs). The study compares the seismic performance of a modular steel-braced frame with SMAUD-based isolators against a conventional modular steel-braced frame under various seismic conditions. The results demonstrate that the SMAUD-based isolators significantly reduce inter-story drift ratios and residual deformation, maintaining structural integrity and serviceability post-earthquake. The chapter also provides detailed experimental data from quasi-static cyclic tests and numerical simulations, illustrating the flag-shaped hysteretic behavior and stable energy dissipation of SMAUDs. This comprehensive analysis highlights the potential of SMA-based self-centering systems in enhancing the seismic resilience of modular buildings, making it a crucial read for those interested in innovative structural engineering solutions.