Modular Construction Method/J・I・Module®:
Minimizing On-site Construction Work
JGC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
| Publication date | May 09, 2018 (Posted on December 09, 2022) |
|---|---|
| Sector | Industrial and economic activities, Natural Disasters / Coastal Areas, Human Health |
Company Overview
Since its establishment in 1928, JGC CORPORATION has been engaged in the construction of a wide range of plants and facilities around the world, mainly in the oil and gas field including oil, natural gas, petrochemical, and LNG plants; extending to the energy infrastructure field including power plants and nonferrous metal plants; the industrial infrastructure field; the social infrastructure field including pharmaceutical plants, hospitals, and environmental facilities. The company is recognized as one of the world's leading engineering contractors.
Adaptation Initiatives
In areas where climate and weather conditions are originally severe (such as areas with extreme cold, extreme heat, and heavy rainfall), areas vulnerable to damage from hurricanes and other factors (such as strong winds, heavy rains, storm surges, etc.,) and areas where it is extremely difficult to secure labor in the local community; minimizing on-site work is highly desirable in terms of productivity and economic feasibility of the project.
In the modular construction method, a single structure (module) with steel frame, pipe rack, process equipment, etc., is built at a separate location from the construction site (e.g., a shipyard), transported to the construction site by a specific ship, and the plant is completed by joining each module, which significantly reduces on-site working hours. Although it is difficult to predict fluctuations in daily or hourly weather phenomena, it is possible to respond(adapt) to changes by choosing construction methods that are less susceptible to weather conditions, such as planning the on-site construction schedule at a time when the weather is fairly stable. The modular construction method requires complex logistics management and designs including consideration of the ship motion during transportation, but we have met these requirements and have large-scale construction experiences of LNG plants in Russia and Australia. Based on our experiences in designing, procuring, and constructing modules for over 30 years, we propose an integrated module concept J・I・Module® (*1), with a drastic improvement over conventional modular construction methods.
The modular construction method minimizes on-site work, thereby reducing the number of workers and the period of time they work on-site. It could also minimize the environmental impact of camping operations during the construction period (e.g., preparation for housing and construction, supply of drinking water, food transportation, wastewater and garbage.) It is also possible to reduce the environmental impact of the creating a temporary construction yard, which is usually required.
Modular construction method is a method that adapts to climate change and reduces environmental impact.
The main pipe rack, process equipment, electrical room, and instrument room, which are divided into separate modules in the conventional module method, are integrated into one module to optimize layout design. This makes it possible to reduce the number of modules and reduce on-site work after module transportation by up to 50%.
