TECH ZONE ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

1. Elements of pitched roofs

Some of the important elements of pitched roofs are:

Span: It is the clear distance between the supports of an arch, beam or roof truss.

Rise: It is the vertical distance between the top of the ridge and the wall plate.

Pitch: It is the inclination of the sides of a roof to the horizontal plane. Either it is
expressed in terms of angles (degrees) or as ratio of rise to span.

Ridge: It is defined as the apex line of the sloping roof. It is thus the apex of the
angle formed by the termination of the inclined surfaces at the top of a slope.

Eaves: The lower edge of the inclined roof surface. From the lower edge (eaves),
the rainwater from the roof surface drops down.

Hip: It is the ridge formed by the intersection of two sloping surfaces, where the
exterior angle is greater than 1800.

Valley: It is a reverse of a hip. It is formed by the intersection of two roof surfaces,

making an external angle less than 1800.

Hipped end: It is the sloped triangular surface formed at the end of a roof.

Verge: The edge of a gable, running between the eaves and ridge, is known as a
verge.

Rafters: These are horizontal wooden or steel members, used to support common
rafters of a roof when span is large. Purlins are supported on trusses or walls.

Purlins: They are inclined wooden members supporting the purlins on which roof
coverings rest.

Eaves board: Also known as Fascia board. It is a wooden plank or board fixed to the feet
of the common rafters at the eaves. It is usually 25mm thick and 20cm wide.
The ends of lower most roof covering material rest upon it. The eaves gutter,
if any, can also be secured against it.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION-I ROOF AND ROOF COVERINGS By: Nasir B.

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TECH ZONE ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

Battens: These are thin strips of wood, called scantlings, which are nailed to the
rafters for laying roof material above.

Truss: A roof truss is a framework, usually of triangles, designed to support the

roof covering or ceiling over rooms.

Fig.1 Elements of pitched roof

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TECH ZONE ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

2. Roof covering for sloping roof

Roof coving is a material, which gives a protective surface to the roofing structure. The function
of the covering is only to prevent ingress or egress of heat and moisture into the building. It does
not withstand structural loads, which are directly taken by the roofing elements. It is only to take
loads to the extent over which it is supported on the roof members. There are various types of
coverings depending on the character of the building, the type of roofing structure, local
conditions, cost, etc. The major roof covering materials include thatch, lead, copper, zinc,
aluminum sheeting, wood, tiles, asphalt, galvanized and corrugated steel and asbestos cement
sheets.

2.1 Thatch Roof Covering

It is one of the most ancient types of roof covering and is mainly used in village areas. Thatch
roof cover is suitable for rural buildings mainly because the cost is very low and thatch is
abundantly available in those regions. Well constructed thatch roof is about 15-25cm thick. The
straw or reed is bound or tied to the layer underneath by grass ropes.

2.2 Galvanized Corrugated Iron/Steel sheet

Galvanization means that the iron/steel sheet is covered with a thin layer of zinc to protect it
from rusting. The corrugation means that the sheet is made more resistant to bending stresses
lengthwise, The gauges indicate the thickness, for instance SWG 24 has 0.549mm; SWG 26has
0.457mm; SWG 28 has 0.376mm; SWG has SWG 30 has 0.315mm, SWG 32 has 0.274mm and
SWG 35 has 0.200mm thickness.

2.3 Corrugated Asbestos cement Sheets

Corrugated asbestos cement sheets were frequently used as the major covering material for
mainly steel roof structures. It was made from cement and about 15% asbestos fibers together
with a controlled amount of water. The sheets made out of these materials are light, cheap,
impervious, and durable and fire resisting. It does not necessarily require any protective paint
and cannot be eaten by vermin. Nowadays, however, concern with the health risk attached to the
manufacture and use of asbestos-based products has led to the development and production of
alternative fiber-based materials.

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TECH ZONE ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

2.4 Fiber Cement Profiled sheets

Fiber cement sheets are made by combining natural and synthetic non-toxic fibers and fillers
with Portland cement and unlike asbestos cement sheets which are rolled to form the required
profile, these sheets are pressed over templates. The finished product has a natural gray color but
sheets with factory applied surface coatings are available.

2.5 Aluminum sheeting

This form of roof covering is available in a corrugated or troughed profile. The sheets are
normally made from an aluminum-manganese alloy resulting in a non-corrosive, non-
combustible lightweight sheet (2.4-5kg/m2).

3. FLAT ROOF
A roof, which is nearly flat, with angles less than 100 to the horizontal, is known as flat roof.
With the advent of very reliable waterproofing and heat insulating material, flat roof construction
has replaced the pitched roofs in many types of constructions. Although flat roofs have high
initial cost, they are extensively adopted even in places where rainfall is heavy.

Drainage of flat roofs is one of the basic requirements. The rainwater should be drained-off from
roof surface easily and quickly; otherwise it will lead to leakage. To achieve watertight roof
surface, the selection of slopes and drain-outlets, depending upon the roofing materials and
climatic conditions, should be done carefully.

Flat roofs are often considered to be a simple form f construction, but unless correctly designed
and constructed, they can be an endless source of trouble. The advantages and disadvantages are
discussed as follow:

Advantages of flat roofs:

1. The roof can be used as terrace for playing, gardening, sleeping and for
celebrating functions.

2. Construction and maintenance is easier.

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TECH ZONE ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

3. They can be easily made fire proof, in comparison to pitched roof.

4. They avoid the enclosure of the triangular space. Due to this the architectural
appearance of the building is very much improved.

5. Flat roofs they have better insulating properties.

6. They require lesser area of roofing material than pitched roof.

7. They are more stable against high wind.

8. They do not require false ceiling, which are essential in pitched roofs.

9. Flat roofs are proved to be overall economical.

10. In multi-story buildings, flat roof is the only choice, since overhead water tanks
and other services are located on the terrace.

11. The construction of upper floors can be easily done over flat roofs, if so required
in the future.

Disadvantages of flat roofs:

1. The span of flat roof is restricted, unless intermediate columns are introduced.
Pitched roofs can be used over large span.

2. The self weight of flat roof is very high. Due to this, the sizes of beams, columns,
foundations, and other structural members are heavy.

3. They are unsuitable at places of heavy rainfall.

4. They are highly unsuitable to hilly areas or other areas where there is heavy
snow fall.

5. They are vulnerable to heavy temperature variations, especially in tropics, doe to

which cracks are developed on the surface. These cracks may lead to water
penetration later, if not repaired in time.

6. It is difficult to locate and rectify leak in flat roof.

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TECH ZONE ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

7. The speed of flat roof construction is much slower than the pitched roof.

8. The initial cost of flat roof is more than pitched roof.

9. The flat roof exposes the entire building to the weather agencies, while the
projecting elements (such as eaves etc.) of pitched roof provide some protection
to the building.

3.1 Common Types of Flat Roof Coverings

3.1.1 Reinforced Concrete Flat Roof

Reinforced concrete flat roof is becoming very popular in construction of roofs for modern
buildings. Concrete is weak in tension and to overcome this, steel, which is strong in
tension, is introduced to form a composite material, and hence reinforced concrete
member is equally strong both in compression and tension.

Similar to the construction of concrete floor slabs, the following steps are considered to be
important in the construction of reinforced concrete roof slabs.

a well designed formwork and false work is required to support its own weight and
the superimposed loads,
the reinforcement is then placed in position on the interior surface which has been
finished first with a thin coat of oil,
the concrete is then poured around the reinforcement and for the required thickness
of the slab,
the fresh concrete is properly compacted, finished taking into consideration the
drainage pattern of the roof system and cured,
After the concrete has sufficiently hardened, the formwork is removed and the upper
and under surfaces of the slab are treated as desired.

There are various ways of damp proofing treatment of concrete flat roofs which includes:
applications of rich cement mortar, application of sufficient layers of bitumen coat and
spreading hot mastic asphalt.

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 TECH ZONE ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

3.1.2 Asphalt Flat Roof

Mastic asphalt provides an ideal covering material especially where foot traffic is required.
Mastic asphalt consists of an aggregate with a bituminous binder, which is cast into blocks
ready for reheating on site. The blocks are then heated to a temperature of over 2000C and are
then transported in a liquid state in buckets for application to the roof deck by hand
spreading. Once the melted asphalt has been removed from the source of heat, it will cool
and solidify rapidly. Therefore, the distance between the cauldron and the point of
application should be kept to a minimum.

The thickness and number of coats required will depend on surface type and substructure or
base. For instance, a two-coat application of mastic asphalt with a minimum thickness of
20mm is required for horizontal surfaces, while the thickness of the two-coat application
should be increased to a minimum of 25mm if the mastic asphalt is intended for foot traffic.

Fig. 2 RCC flat roof with mastic

asphalt covering

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TECH ZONE ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

3.1.3 Lead-Covered Flat Roof

It is understood that lead as a building material has been used extensively for over 5000 years
and is obtained from the mineral galena of which Australia, Canada, Mexico and the USA
are the main producers. It is a durable and dense material of low strength but is very
malleable and can be worked cold into complicated shapes without fracture. The raw
materials are mined, refined to a high degree of purity and the cast into bars or pigs which
can be used to produce lead sheet, pipe and extruded products.

Milled lead sheets, which are supplied in rolls of standard width, length and thickness, are
used for flat roofs. Milled lead sheet may be also used as covering over timber or similar
decking and over smooth screeded surfaces.

3.1.4 Copper-Covered Flat Roof

Copper, like lead has been used as a building material for many centuries. It is a dense
material, which is highly ductile and malleable and can be cold worked into the required
shape or profile. The metal hardens with cold working but its original dead soft temper can
be restored by the application of heat with a blowlamp or oxyacetylene torch and quenching
with water or by natural air-cooling. If the dead soft temper is not maintained, the hardened
copper will be difficult to work and may fracture. On exposure to the atmosphere, copper
forms on its upper surface a natural protective film or patina, which varies in color from
green to black, making the copper beneath virtually inert.

Rolled copper is used for flat roof coverings. Rolled copper is available in three forms:

Sheet: flat material of exact length, over 0.15mm up to and including 10.0mm thick
and over 450mm in width.

Strip: material over 0.15mm up to and including 10.0mm thick and any width, and
generally not cut to length. It is usually supplied in coils but can be obtained flat or
folded.

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Foil: material 0.15mm thick and under, of any width supplied flat or in a coil.
Because of its thickness foil has no practical application in the context of roof
covering.

In general, copper strip is used for flashing and damp proof courses; where as copper sheets
can be considered for general roof covering applications.

4. DOMES AND SHELL ROOFS

4.1 Domes
Domes are a roof of semi-spherical or semi-elliptical shape. It is constructed of stone or
brick or concrete and is supported on circular or regular polygon shaped walls
Dome is small in thickness and is used where architectural treatment is required. like in
churches, conference halls and modern recreation centers.

4.2 Shell
A shell structure consists of relatively thin slab, which is curved in one or both direction and
may be stiffened along its edges to maintain its curvature. Due to large floor spaces being
covered uninterrupted by columns and for economical reasons, shell roof is becoming very
popular for industry buildings, research labs, hangers and other large buildings. It has
advantages of saving a lot of materials and appreciable reduction of dead weight, as the
section needed is very thin.

Fig.3 Shell and dome

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TECH ZONE ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

5. Choice of Roof Covering

In the selection of a suitable roof covering, the following factors need to be seriously
considered:
 Initial cost,
 Maintenance,
 Slope of the roof,
 Durability,
 Resistance to fire,
 Weight of the roof covering,
 Type of constructions,
 Appearance (aesthetic value) and
 Heat insulation.

Asbestos-cement sheet, unless used in double layers, has got a very low resistance to the
transmission of heat and similar is the case with corrugated metal roofing. Clay tile or thatch
roof gives adequate protection against thermal effects. Whereas thatched roof has got the
least fire resistance.

Reference:
Extracted from:
1. Abebe Dinku (Dr. Ing.), A text book of building construction, AAU Press, Addis
Ababa, 2007.
2. Punmia B.C., Ashok Kumar Jain, Arun Kumar Jain, Building construction, Fifth
Edition, Laxmi Publication (P) LTD, New Delhi, 1993.

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