An orthogonal framework for the fabrication of modular buildings includes a plurality of hub members formed to fit in the ends of vertical hollow post members including base hubs for securing the lower end of a hollow post to a foundation and/or base beams or shear panels, terminal hubs for securing the top ends of a post upper beam members and/or the upper ends of shear panels, and intermediate tubes for securing the ends of two vertically aligned posts together and/or to support beams for the building. The hubs are hollow and have press nuts mounted on their inner surfaces to allow the terminals to be bolted to the posts, beams and shear panels in a large variety of beam and post combinations to form modular buildings in various configurations.

A gusset plate assembly for use in connecting at least two beams to a hollow tubular column in a building. The gusset plate assembly can receive said at least two beams in a biaxial orientation of said beams. The gusset plate assembly comprises gusset plates sized for transferring the weights of said at least two beams and their reaction forces and bending moments from the application of severe load conditions acting on the building to the hollow tubular column. At least one of the gusset plates receives a portion of a second of the gusset plates. A joint penetration groove weld joining the first and second gusset plates together allows the gusset plate assembly to be free of welds on its internal corners. A method of assembling a gusset plate assembly is also disclosed.

A support column extends in a longitudinal dimension and includes a plurality of outer hollow longitudinal structures. Each longitudinal structure defines an interior passage extending along a length of the longitudinal structure. The support column includes a plurality of inner members. The plurality of outer hollow longitudinal structures are aligned end-to-end along a single axis. The interior passages of the plurality of outer hollow longitudinal structures cooperate to define an interior passage of the support column. The inner members are aligned end-to-end along the single axis within the interior passage of the support column so that opposed longitudinal ends of each of the inner members extend to respective longitudinal ends of each adjacent inner member. At least one end of at least one inner member is longitudinally offset from every longitudinal end of the plurality of outer hollow longitudinal structures.

A beam can comprise a plurality of steel channel members that extend along a longitudinal axis. The plurality of steel channel members can cooperate to define an interior volume that is configured to receive concrete therein. The plurality of steel channel members can comprise a first C-shaped channel member defining a channel therein and having first and second flanges. The channel of the first C-shaped channel member can define a portion of an outer boundary of the interior volume. The first and second flanges can extend into the interior volume. A plurality of internally projecting members can be spaced along the longitudinal axis. The plurality of internally projecting members can extend into the interior volume from a steel channel member of the plurality of steel channel members. A strap can extend across the interior volume so that when the interior volume is filled with concrete, the strap engages the concrete.

A method, assembly and system of assembling and disassembling a shelter is provided. The method provided is configured to assemble a modular shelter in a hard to access location without heavy machinery. The assembly comprises a plurality of shipping modules having truss systems composed of beams and columns. The trusses may be connected to other trusses with the help of joint nodes. The truss system may be extended for sliding columns, may be connected to varying other trusses with varying joint nodes and may comprise connecting elements for angled connections. The assembly and the truss system are modular in that a plurality of the beams, columns and joint nodes may be removable.

A solar tracking carport comprises a supporting structure including a foundation and at least two columns connected or connectable to the foundation; a three-dimensionally rigid canopy deck having a length from a first edge to a second edge of at least one car, the three-dimensionally rigid canopy deck including one or more upper blocks, each of the upper blocks being rigid at least in its longitudinal direction, each of the upper blocks including at least one solar panel; a deck frame configured to support the one or more upper blocks, the deck frame including a torque transmitting member; a rotation enabling connection configured to rotatably connect at least the torque transmitting member of the three-dimensionally rigid canopy deck to the at least two columns of the supporting structure; and a drive system configured to control tilting of the three-dimensionally rigid canopy deck about the supporting structure over one axis of rotation to a first maximum angle in a first direction and to a second maximum angle in a second direction, the first maximum angle preventing the first edge of the three-dimensionally rigid canopy deck from going below a first minimum threshold height, the second maximum angle preventing the second edge of the three-dimensionally rigid canopy deck from going below a second minimum threshold height.

A prefabricated column assembly includes a hollow tubular column having a longitudinal axis. A gusset plate assembly includes a plurality of gusset plates connected to the column and extending laterally outward from the column in planes generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the column. A first pair of the gusset plates extends laterally outward from the column along a first axis and defines a space for receiving an end portion of a first beam for mounting the first beam on the first pair of gusset plates. A second pair of the gusset plates extends laterally outward from the column along a second axis that is nonparallel and non-coincident with the first axis. The second pair of gusset plates defines a space for receiving an end portion of a second beam for mounting the second beam on the second pair of gusset plates to provide a bi-axial joint connection.

A joint connection structure of a building framework includes a column assembly including a column and a pair of side plates attached to the column on opposite sides of the column and extending laterally outward from the column. A beam assembly includes a beam having an end portion received between the side plates. At least one of the column and the beam has an opening in an area between the side plates to provide access for bolting at least one of the side plates to one of the column and the beam. The opening is free of a fastener extending through the opening when the column assembly is attached to the beam assembly.

A standardized structural metal plug assembly that, when welded to metal columns and beams, allows to join them together into a bi-axial moment connection without bolts or on-site welding. The plug is assembled in a gravity and interlocking fashion. It is composed of one flange cruciform joint that works as a “male” outward component that channels the beam's “female” inward bracket into its seated and locked position. The column terminals also act as “female” inward component that slips and seats over the flange cruciform joint ends. All the components are lock-in-place to the flange cruciform joint due to various mechanical locking latches attached to the beam brackets and column terminals.

The present disclosure relates to a connecting core for column-beam joint, the connecting core being able to secure excellent rigidity through a simple process without welding. To this end, a connecting core for column-beam joint includes: a closed-section intermediate column; a diaphragm; and internal reinforcing members, in which slit for inserting the internal reinforcing members are formed at the diaphragm, and the internal reinforcing members inserted in the diaphragm are combined with the intermediate column. According to the present disclosure, high rigidity is secured, as compared with the related art, when a closed-section column and a beam are connected. Further, a closed-section column and a beam can be connected without welding, so the process can be shortened, connecting become easy, and quality is also uniform.