Unit modular in-fill construction method for high-rise buildings

A modular construction method includes factory-prefabricated room-sized volumetric units. Although low-rise buildings have been constructed worldwide using this method for more than 30 years, it is a relatively new technology in high-rise construction. There are three basic methods of constructing high-rise buildings using modular construction: the core method, the core-and-podium combination method, and the modular in-fill method. While the first two have been used in the USA and in several European countries, the third method, introduced in 2011 by an international cruise ship development firm, is a rather new approach for which there are few case histories. Although the modular in-fill method is being used to construct several dormitories in Korea through public–private partnerships with the Korean government, there have been few applications of this method to construction of high-rise buildings. Therefore, its applicability and construction feasibility should be verified. As a pilot study to test the applicability of the modular in-fill method, a 12-story residential building was built in Korea. This paper describes a case study of the pilot project. The advantages and disadvantages of the method and its applicability in terms of cost effectiveness and construction schedule management were evaluated. The results of this study provide a reference base for advancement of the in-fill method based on an analysis of problems that arose during the construction process for the pilot project.