Existing reviews on modular construction are largely dominated by building- or system-level perspectives, while the limited component-level reviews remain mainly connection-focused. This leaves a limited understanding of what modular building components have been studied, what design methods are used at the component level and what key challenges shape future research. This study aims to address these gaps through a systematic literature review of modular building component design.
A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Scopus and Web of Science were used as the primary databases, and 75 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2010 and 2024 were selected after screening and eligibility assessment. Template analysis was applied to synthesise evidence on component types, design methods and approaches, and reported challenges and future directions.
The review identifies nine component types and organises design methods into three functional roles: design generation, design strategy and decision-making, and design verification and improvement. It also highlights four recurring challenges: uneven component coverage, limited transferability of verification evidence, weak upstream integration of life cycle constraints and the limited integration of AI and digital methods with validated evidence.
This review provides a component-centred and workflow-oriented synthesis of modular building component design, extending prior building-level and connection-focused reviews. By integrating component types, material categories and design methods within one analytical framework, it clarifies how current knowledge is distributed across generation, decision strategy and verification. It also informs implications for design practice, industry implementation, education and policy, supporting more reusable, life cycle-informed and performance-grounded design workflows.
