ROOFS

ROOF GENERAL FUNCTION:

• To give a protective covering to the building, so rain, wind or snow
may not damage the building
Functional requirements
1. Weather resistance
2. Structural stability
3. Provide good appearance
4. Provide thermal insulation
Weather Resistance
1. Required to protect a building from the damaging effects of rain & wind
2. The ingress of rain: causes damage to decorations & structural damage to
timber due to attacks by fungus & insects
3. The roof is covered by a layer of impermeable material which prevents the
passage of rain into a building
Structural Stability
• Provide support for the roof covering
• In designing a roof structure, the designer must take into consideration the
span of structural members
• If span at joist too great will cause bending
Provide Good Appearance
1. Might be a major visual element in the
design of a building
2. The detailing of roof can significantly affect
the appearance of a building
Provide Thermal Insulation
1. Roof represents a large proportion of the external surface area of a
building has potential for heat loss.
2. Pitched roofs are usually insulated between the ceiling joists
3. Alternative insulation might be applied between rafters
4. Flat roof insulation is usually laid above the decking, either below or above
the roof covering
TYPES OF ROOF
• Pitched or Sloping Roofs
• Flat Roofs or terraced Roofs
• Curved Roof
Types of pitched roofs
A roof with
sloping surface is
known as pitched
roof
1.Single roofs
• Lean to roof (verendah roof)
• Couple roof
• Couple close roof
• Collar beam roof or collar tie roof
2.Double or purlin roofs
3.Triple membered or framed or trussed roofs
• King post roof truss
• Queen post roof truss
• Combination of king post and queen post truss
• Mansard roof truss
• Truncated roof truss
• Bel-fast roof truss or latticed roof truss
• Composite roof truss  Steel sloping roof trusses
Lean to roof (veranda roof)
• Simplest type and suitable upto max span of
2.5 m.
• Rafters slope on one side only (usual slope
30 degree)
• Also known as pent roof or aisle roof
• Wall on one side is higher than the other
side
• Wooden wall plates supported by corbel
provided at 1m centre to centre.
• Common rafters are nailed to wooden wall
plate at their upper end and nailed to
wooden post plate at their lower end.
• Iron knee straps and bolts are also used to
connect the rafters.
• Applicable for sheds, out-houses attached to
main building.
Couple roof
• Formed by pair of rafters which slope to both the sides of the ridge of the roof.
• Upper ends of rafter nailed to a common ridge and lower ends nailed to the wooden
wall plates.
• Applicable for span upto 3.6 m.
• It has a tendency to spread out at the feet (wall plate level) and thrust out the walls
supporting the wall plates.
Couple close roof
• To prevent the rafters from spreading and thrusting out of the wall, the
ends of the couple of common rafters are connected by a horizontal
member called ‘tie beam’.
• It may be a wooden member or a steel rod.
• The connection between wooden tie and feet of rafters is obtained by
DOVE TAIL HALVED JOINT.
• One tie for each pair of rafters.
• Tie beams also acts as ceiling joists when required.
• Economically suitable for spans upto 4.2 m.

• For increased span or for

greater loads, the rafters
may sag in the middle. In
order to overcome that, a
central vertical rod called
as king rod or king bolt is
used to connect ridge
piece and tie beam.
Collar beam roof or collar tie roof
• When the span increases or when the
load is more, the rafters of the couple
close roof have the tendency to bend.
• This is avoided by raising the tie beam
and fixing it at one-third to one-half of
the vertical height from wall plate to the
ridge. This raised beam is known as the
collar beam or collar tie.
• Suitable for span upto 5 m.
Collar & scissors Roof
• Similar to collar roof
• Except that two collar beams crossing
each other to have an appearance of
scissors is provided.
Double or purlin roofs
These roofs have two basic elements:
(i) rafters and (ii) purlins.
• Purlin gives intermediate support to
the rafters which in turn reduces the
size of the rafters to the economical
range.
• It is also known as rafter and purlin
roof.
• The rafters are provided at 20 to 40 cm
c/c spacing.
• Each rafter is supported at three
points: ridge, purlin and wall plate.
• For larger roofs, two or more purlins
may be provided to support each rafter.
Triple membered or framed or trussed roofs
When the span of the roof exceeds 5 m and where there are
no inside walls to support the purlins then trusses are
provided at suitable intervals along the length of the beam.
• Spacing is limited to 3 m for wooden trusses.
• In this system, the roof consists of 3 elements:
• a) Rafters to support the roofing material
• b) Purlins to provide intermediate suppport to rafters
• c) Trusses to provide support to the ends of purlins.
King-post truss
Components: (i) Lower tie beam, (ii)two inclined principal rafters, (iii)two struts,
(iv)a king post. • Principal rafters support the purlins.
• The purlins support the closely spaced
common rafters which have same slope
as principal rafters.
• The common rafters support the roof
covering .
• Spacing limited to 3 m centre to centre.
• Suitable for spans varying from 5 to 8 m.
• Tie beam prevents the wall from
spreading out due to thrust.
• The king post prevents the tie beam from sagging at its centre of span.
• The struts connected to the tie beams and the principal rafters in inclined
direction, prevent the sagging of principal rafters.
• Ridge beam provide end support to the principal rafters
• The trusses are supported on the bed blocks of stone or concrete,
embedded in the supporting walls so that load is distributed to a greater
area.
• Cleats fixed on principal rafter, prevents the purlins from tilting.
JOINTS:
• Principal rafter to tie beam-------tenon joint or bridle joint.
• Strut to principal rafter-----------oblique mortise and tenon joint.
• King post to tie beam--------mild steel or wrought iron strap.
• King post to principal rafters-------tenon and mortise joint.
• Purlins to principal rafters-------cogged joints and cleats.
 Queen post roof truss
• A queen post (vertical posts) differs from a king post truss in having two
vertical posts rather than one.
• The tops are connected by a
horizontal piece known as straining
beam.
• Two struts are provided to join the
feet of each queen post to the
principal rafter.
• Suitable for spans between 8 to 12 m.
• A straining sill is introduced on tie beam to counteract the thrust from
inclined members which are in compression.(in absence pushes the queen
post inwards).
Combination of king post and queen post truss

For greater spans

upto 18 m, the queen
post truss can
strengthen by one
more upright member,
called princess-post to
each side.
Mansard roof truss
• Designer-Francois Mansard (French architect)
• It is a two storied truss, with upper portion consisting of king-post truss and
the lower portion of queen post truss.
• The entire truss has two pitches.
• The upper pitch(king post truss) varies from 30
to 40 degree while lower pitch (queen truss)
varies from 60 to 70 degree.
• The use of this truss results in economy in
space, since a room may be provided between
the two queen-posts.
Truncated truss
• A truncated truss is similar to mansard truss, except that its top is formed
flat, with a gentle slope to one side.
• This type of truss is used when it is required to provide a room in the roof
between the two queen posts of the truss.
Belfast roof truss-Bow String truss
• This truss in the form of a bow, consists of thin sections of timber, with its
top chord curved.
• If the roof covering is light, this roof truss can be used upto 30 m span.
• This roof truss is also known as latticed roof truss.
 COMPOSITE ROOF TRUSSES
Roof trusses made of two materials, such as timber and steel are known as
COMPOSITE ROOF TRUSSES.
• In a composite truss, tension members are made of steel, while
compression members are made of timber.

• Special fittings are required at

the junction of steel and timber
members.
• The joints in composite trusses
should be such that cast or
forged fittings can be easily used.
Steel roof trusses
When span exceeds 10 m, timber trusses become heavy and uneconomical.
• Steel trusses are more economical for longer spans.
• They are fabricated from rolled steel structural members such as
channels , angle sections etc
• Trusses are designed in such a way that members are either in
compression or in tension & bending stress is not allowed to develop them
• Most of the roof trusses are angle sections, because they can resist both
tension & compression effectively.
• They are commonly used these days for all spans, since they are
economical, easy to fabricate, fire proof, more rigid, permanent & suitable
for speedy construction.
Open trusses are ordinary trusses with straight bottom

North light trusses are trusses facing North direction

Bow String trusses have its top chord curved

End Raised will have a rise at ends

Advantages of Steel trusses over timber trusses
• readily available in the required dimension, resulting in minimum wastage of
material
• light in weight and can be fabricated into any shape depending upon the
structural and architectural requirement
• stronger and more rigid. The members are strong in tension and in
compression
• Long life
• Termite proof and fire proof
• Can be used over any span ,while timber trusses are available only up to a
span of 15m
 Flat Roofs or terraced Roofs
Madras terrace roof https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSRyWCMuuLk
Steps in construction
• Teak wood joist are placed on rolled steel
joists.
• Sufficient slope is provided
• Terrace bricks of size 15x75x25mm to be
laid diagonally.
• Brick bat concrete of thickness 75mm to be
laid
• Rammed and allow to set for three days.
• Flat tiles are then laid over this concrete.
• Surface of this roof is finished with 3 coats
of plaster.
Bengal terrace roof
• Used for covering verandah portion.
• Consists of rafters having slight inclination and one end penetrated into wall.
• Battens are placed over this rafter with spacing 15cm.

• Over that Flat tiles are laid in mortar.

• Surface is finished with fine jelly
concrete or flat tiles are provided.
JACK ARCH ROOFING https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxTbyjJQXr0
• A jack arch is classically defined as a structural element in masonry
construction that provides support at openings in the masonry.
• Alternate names are FLAT ARCH and STRAIGHT ARCH.
• Unlike regular arches, jack arches are not semicircular in form.
• Instead they are flat in profile and are used under same circumstances as
lintels.
 MATERIALS
• This type of roof may be built
with materials such as brick,
steel, concrete, and clay-
gypsum mortar.
• The roofing technique in
auroville is that of jack arch roof
with terra cotta hollow blocks
and pre cast concrete beams.

ADVANTAGES
• It can be constructed from relatively small pieces of material that can be
handled by individuals . • Arches are typically sawn from an appropriately
sized fired clay lintel. • There is considerable scope for in corporation of
decorative patterns and elements into jack arches.
ROOF COVERINGS FOR PITCHED ROOFS
Roof covering over the roof frame work to protect it from rain, snow, sun, wind and other
atmospheric agency.
Various types of roofing materials are available,
and their selection depends upon
1) Type of building, The following are the roof-covering
(2) Type of roof framework, materials commonly used for pitched roofs:
(3)Initial cost, 1. Thatch covering
(4) Maintenance requirements 2.Wood shingles
(5) fabrication facilities, 3.Tiles
(6) Appearance and special features of the 4. Asbestos cement sheets
locality, 5. Galvanized corrugated iron sheets
(7) Durability (8) Availability of the material 6. Eternit slates
itself, . 7. Light weight roofing.
(9) Climate of the locality.
Thatch covering
• This is the cheapest roof-covering, commonly used in
villages.
• It s very light, but is highly combustible.
• It is unstable against high winds.
• It absorbs moisture and is liable to decay.
• Thatch roof-covering consists of bundles of reeds or
straw .
• The frame work to support thatch consists of round
bamboo rafters spaced 20 to 30 cm apart and tied with
split bamboos laid at right angles to the rafters.
• The thatch is tightly secured to the frame work with
the help of ropes or twines.
• In order to drain the roof effectively, a minimum slope of 45° is kept.
• The thickness of thatch covering should at least be 15 cm .
Wood shingle roofing
• Shingles are thin slabs of wood used to cover roofs.
• The use of shingles is restricted to hilly areas where local timber is easily
available at low cost.
• Though shingle roofing is light weight, it is not fire and termite resistant.
• Wood shingles are obtained from well seasoned timber, by either sawing or
splitting.
Sawn shingles are used chiefly, They are
obtained in lengths varying from 30 to
40 cm and widths varying from 6cm to
25 cm.
• They are approximately 10 mm thick
at the tail.
• They are laid in a similar fashion as
tiles and slates.
Tile roofing
• Use of tiles for roofing is one of the oldest, and is still preferred for
residential buildings and country houses.
• This is because country tiles are manufactured from locally available
earth.
• Tiles are named according to their shape and pattern, and they are
manufactured by a process similar to the one used for the manufacture of
bricks.
• The various types of tiles generally used are :
1. Plain or flat files.
2. Curved or pan-tiles.
3. Pot tiles or half-round country tiles.
4. Spanish tiles.
5. Italian or Allahabad tiles.
6. Inter-locking tiles.
PLAIN TILES
• Plain tiles are made of clay or
concrete, though clay are more
common.
• Plain or flat tiles are manufactured in
rectangular shapes, of sizes varying
form 25cm X 15 cm to 28 cm X 18 cm,
with thickness from 9 mm to 15 mm.
• The tiles are not perfectly flat, but
have slight camber of 5 to 10 mm in
their length.
• Before laying the tiles, common
rafters are laid at 20 to 30 cm spacing.
• Battens are then fixed across the
rafters at a spacing 4 to 6cm.
CURVED OR PAN TILES
• Pan tiles are 33 to 36 cm long, 22.5 to 25 cm wide and 12 to 19 mm
thick.
• They are flat longitudinally, but are curved transversely to a flat wave or
S-curve.
SPANISH TILES
• This tiles are commonly
used in villages.
• These tiles are laid in
pairs of under-tiles and
over-tiles.
• The under-tiles are laid
with concave surface
upwards while the over-
tiles are laid with convex
surface upwards.
ITALIAN OR ALLAHABAD TILES
• These tiles are also used in
pairs- flat broad bottom
under-tile which alternate
with convex curved over-tile.
• The under-tile is flat, tapered
with upturned edges or
flanges at the sides.
INTER-LOCKING TILES

• These tiles are available

with patent locking
devices, the object of
which is to prevent their
dislodgment even in
most exposed condition.
• These tiles are machine
made.
ASBESTOS CEMENT SHEETS
• These sheets are manufactured from asbestos fiber (@ 15%) & Portland cement.
• These sheets are now becoming popular for industrial buildings, factories, sheds,
auditorium & even residential building.
• They are cheap, light weight, tough, durable,
water tight, fire-resisting.
• The main advantage is that they are
available in bigger units, hence supporting
frame is also cheaper, easier and lighter.
• These sheets do not require any protective
paint.
• Construction with A.C. sheets are very fast.
GALVANIZED IRON CORRUGATED SHEETS (G. I. SHEETS)
• G.I. sheets are also widely used.
• They are stronger than A.C. Sheets.
• Due to higher cost, they are
replaced by A.C. sheets.
• They are not used for slopes flatter
than 1in 4.
• G.I. sheets are made from iron
sheets which are galvanized with
zinc to protect them from rusting
action of water & wet weather.
• These sheets are fixed in a manner
similar to A. C. sheets.