Nunafab Corp. is a prefabricated home manufacturing company based in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. They specialize in structural components made of Ultra-High-Performance-Concrete (UHPC) that are high in strength and durability.
The high-performance of their concrete allows for an overall reduction in the size of their fabricated components without sacrificing the integrity of their structures. This reduction in size results in lower transportation costs that would typically be associated to the high construction costs of housing in the region.
Their mission is to make housing more affordable through precast construction methods. The goal of this project was for the OCRC to support Nunafab Corp. in the testing and development of an ultra-high-performance cladding technology.
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Nunafab Corp. is a prefabricated home manufacturing company based in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. They specialize in structural components made of Ultra-High-Performance-Concrete (UHPC) that are high in strength and durability.
The high-performance of their concrete allows for an overall reduction in the size of their fabricated components without sacrificing the integrity of their structures. This reduction in size results in lower transportation costs that would typically be associated to the high construction costs of housing in the region.
Their mission is to make housing more affordable through precast construction methods. The goal of this project was for the OCRC to support Nunafab Corp. in the testing and development of an ultra-high-performance cladding technology.
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AXE Buildings is a prefabricator of timber home components based out of St. Catharines, Ontario. They specialize in the design and construction of panelized structures for single and multi-family residential use. Their unique panel designs allow for flexible floor plan layouts and their manufacturing process facilitates the construction of homes by installing 90 percent of services in the factory.
The timber housing industry in Canada has been highly favoured due to the convenience that comes with obtaining its materials and the simplicity of light wood frame construction. In recent years, a number of higher-rise structures have gained in popularity in hopes to address housing shortages in major cities. With the increase of higher-rise structures, the need for new technology in the timber construction industry has become apparent.
Partnered with AXE Buildings, a panelized wood home builder in Ontario, a desktop review has been done to address some of the limitations surrounding the allowance for them to build to storeys greater than their current two-storey height limit.
An assessment of the company’s current structural design and an in-depth review of literature on mid to high-rise timber buildings were reported. A comparative analysis was done to identify areas of improvement for the company’s current design and construction processes, and recommendations for next steps were provided.
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PLAEX Building Systems Inc., a company based in New Brunswick, is working towards producing plug-and-play concrete-like building blocks using recycled aggregate and recycled plastic as the binder. UNB Off-site Construction Research Centre partnered with PLAEX in assessing the mechanical properties and durability of their products.
Normal density concrete is made of aggregates, sand, Portland cement, water and additives which usually results in 20-30 MPa compressive strength. PLAEX products consist of very fine recycled aggregates (sand) and recycled plastic, typically polyethylene, as the binder.
Mechanical tests were conducted to measure and assess the difference in stress-strain behaviour when subjected to tension vs. compression, the modulus of elasticity (E), and the compressive and tensile strengths. To assess the effects of temperature, compressive strength tests were also conducted on samples subjected to varying temperature from +40 to -20 *C.
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Compressive strength of PLAEX prisms
Core fill effect on hollow core plank bearing capacity
Project background
Strescon Limited, is a precast concrete product manufacturer in Eastern Canada. One of their products, Hollow core planks (HCP), is extensively used as floor members. A common HCP is 8” deep and 4’ long in cross section with 5 hollow cores. The main purpose of HCP is to have high flexural resistance to carry floor loads while being lightweight. However, in total precast concrete construction, the floor slabs have to be able to carry and transfer their share of axial load from all of the above floors to the load- bearing walls below. The load bearing capacity of the HCP is of concern due to their reduced cross-sectional area. This experimental study was conducted to assess the bearing capacity of unfilled and core-filled planks, and to determine whether additional core filling is required or not.
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Calculation of bearing capacity of hollow core planks
Ecoplast Solutions produces structural insulated wall panels. The foam core of the wall panels is made of high-quality polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is 100% sourced from recycled plastic bottles and bonded with specialized laminates. This high- performance building product is used for residential and light commercial construction, prefabricated houses, grain dryers, and garage packages. The packages include pre-cut panelized walls, floor, and roof sections that are delivered to the site in pre-built sections and can be installed in a matter of a few days.
Project background
As a modular housing company, Ecoplast was asked by its clients if their production met the CSA-A277 "Procedure for certification of prefabricated buildings, modules, and panels" standard. Therefore, the Off-site Construction Research Centre (OCRC) reviewed the requirements for A277 certification, contacted certification bodies for more in-depth information about the certification process and prices. In addition to A277, other certification options that focused more on the product rather than the fabrication were explored. The goal of this research was to help Ecoplast decide whether A277 certification was within the scope and scale of their work and financially reasonable. If it was not achievable at the moment, the research would help them take steps towards meeting the requirements as their company grows.
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METALOQ Joist to Rim-Joist Connections
Project background
The METALOQ modular steel structure system employs a light gauge, cold formed steel joist system connected through a proprietary shear tab to a channel section rim-joist. This connection may be subjected to a variety of force demands during shipping, craning, and service live of the module. This project intended to initiate a larger testing and analysis program of the METALOQ system by testing the joist to rim-joist connection under tension loads to failure. In doing so, the tests identified failure modes and identified any potential improvements that may be incorporated in the design.
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Literature review of concrete mix designs for cold climates
Nunafab is a corporation based out of Nunavut that provides 3D, precast concrete modules and element fabrication for residential applications.
Project background
The objective of this study was to determine the optimum type of concrete to produce prefabricated volumetric modules for affordable housing in Nunavut and across the Arctic. Specifically, the review is focused on the performance of concrete in very cold climates (down to -65°C) and the application of concrete technology to reduce the weight of the modules (by increasing the strength- to-weight ratio of the concrete) to aid in transportation and construction. Two specific technologies were examined: the use of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) and lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC).
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