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Roof
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Aroof/ruf/ofabuildingenvelope,boththecoveringonthe
uppermostpartofabuildingorshelterwhichprovidesprotection
fromanimalsandweather,notablyrain,butalsoheat,windand
sunlightandtheframingorstructurewhichsupportsthe
covering.[1]
Thecharacteristicsofaroofaredependentuponthepurposeofthe
buildingthatitcovers,theavailableroofingmaterialsandthelocal
traditionsofconstructionandwiderconceptsofarchitecturaldesign
andpracticeandmayalsobegovernedbylocalornational
legislation.Inmostcountriesaroofprotectsprimarilyagainstrain.
Averandahmayberoofedwithmaterialthatprotectsagainst
sunlightbutadmitstheotherelements.Theroofofagarden
conservatory,protectsplantsfromcold,windandrainbutadmits
light.

TheroofsofOlomouc,Czech
Republic

Aroofmayalsoprovideadditionallivingspace,forexamplearoof
garden.

Contents
1Designelements
2Formofaroof
3Partsofaroof
3.1Support
3.2Outerlayer
4Functionsofaroof
4.1Insulation
4.2Drainage
4.3Solarroofs
5Galleryofsignificantroofs
6Seealso
7References

Designelements

TheroofsofSanCristbaldelas
Casas,Mexico

AroofscapeofAntananarivo,
Madagascar

Theelementsinthedesignofaroofare:
thematerial
theconstruction
thedurability
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Thematerialofaroofmayrangefrombananaleaves,wheatenstraworseagrasstolamininatedglass,
copper(see:copperroofing),aluminiumsheetingandprecastconcrete.Inmanypartsoftheworldceramic
tileshavebeenthepredominantroofingmaterialforcenturies.
Theconstructionofaroofisdeterminedbyitsmethodofsupportandhowtheunderneathspaceisbridged
andwhetherornottheroofispitched.Thepitchistheangleatwhichtheroofrisesfromitslowestto
highestpoint.MostUSdomesticarchitecture,exceptinverydry
regions,hasroofsthataresloped,orpitched.Althoughmodern
constructionelementssuchasdrainpipesmayremovetheneedfor
pitch,roofsarepitchedforreasonsoftraditionandaesthetics.Sothe
pitchispartlydependentuponstylisticfactors,andpartiallytodo
withpracticalities.
Sometypesofroofing,forexamplethatch,requireasteeppitchin
Shackmadeofdatepalmbranchesat
ordertobewaterproofanddurable.Othertypesofroofing,for
NeotSemadar,Israel
examplepantiles,areunstableonasteeplypitchedroofbutprovide
excellentweatherprotectionatarelativelylowangle.Inregions
wherethereislittlerain,analmostflatroofwithaslightrunoffprovidesadequateprotectionagainstan
occasionaldownpour.Drainpipesalsoremovetheneedforaslopingroof.
Thedurabilityofaroofisamatterofconcernbecausetheroofisoftentheleastaccessiblepartofa
buildingforpurposesofrepairandrenewal,whileitsdamageordestructioncanhaveseriouseffects.

Formofaroof
Theshapeofroofsdiffersgreatlyfromregiontoregion.Themain
factorswhichinfluencetheshapeofroofsaretheclimateandthe
materialsavailableforroofstructureandtheoutercovering.
Thebasicshapesofroofsareflat,skillion,gabled,hipped,arched
anddomed.Therearemanyvariationsonthesetypes.Roofs
constructedofflatsectionsthatareslopedarereferredtoaspitched
roofs(generallyiftheangleexceeds10degrees).[2]Pitchedroofs,
includinggabled,hippedandskillionroofs,makeupthegreatest
numberofdomesticroofs.Someroofsfolloworganicshapes,either
byarchitecturaldesignorbecauseaflexiblematerialsuchasthatch
hasbeenusedintheconstruction.

Terminologyofsomeroofparts

Partsofaroof
Therearetwopartstoaroof,itssupportingstructureanditsouterskin,oruppermostweatherprooflayer.In
aminorityofbuildings,theouterlayerisalsoaselfsupportingstructure.
Theroofstructureisgenerallysupporteduponwalls,althoughsomebuildingstyles,forexample,geodesic
andAframe,blurthedistinctionbetweenwallandroof.

Support
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Thesupportingstructureofaroofusuallycomprisesbeamsthatare
longandofstrong,fairlyrigidmaterialsuchastimber,andsincethe
mid19thcentury,castironorsteel.Incountriesthatusebamboo
extensively,theflexibilityofthematerialcausesadistinctive
curvinglinetotheroof,characteristicofOrientalarchitecture.
Timberlendsitselftoagreatvarietyofroofshapes.Thetimber
structurecanfulfilanaestheticaswellaspracticalfunction,when
leftexposedtoview.
Stonelintelshavebeenusedtosupportroofssinceprehistorictimes,
TheroofofalibraryinSweden.
butcannotbridgelargedistances.Thestonearchcameinto
extensiveuseintheancientRomanperiodandinvariantforms
couldbeusedtospanspacesupto140feet(43m)across.Thestonearchorvault,withorwithoutribs,
dominatedtheroofstructuresofmajorarchitecturalworksforabout2,000years,onlygivingwaytoiron
beamswiththeIndustrialRevolutionandthedesigningofsuchbuildingsasPaxton'sCrystalPalace,
completed1851.
Withcontinualimprovementsinsteelgirders,thesebecamethemajorstructuralsupportforlargeroofs,and
eventuallyforordinaryhousesaswell.Anotherformofgirderisthereinforcedconcretebeam,inwhich
metalrodsareencasedinconcrete,givingitgreaterstrengthundertension.

Outerlayer
Thispartoftheroofshowsgreatvariationdependentupon
availabilityofmaterial.Invernaculararchitecture,roofingmaterial
isoftenvegetation,suchasthatches,themostdurablebeingsea
grasswithalifeofperhaps40years.InmanyAsiancountries
bambooisusedbothforthesupportingstructureandtheouterlayer
wheresplitbamboostemsarelaidturnedalternatelyand
overlapped.Inareaswithanabundanceoftimber,woodenshingles
andboardsareused,whileinsomecountriesthebarkofcertain
treescanbepeeledoffinthick,heavysheetsandusedforroofing.

AbarkroofinKorea.Seealso:
Birchbarkroof

The20thcenturysawthemanufactureofcompositionasphalt
shingleswhichcanlastfromathin20yearshingletothethickest
whicharelimitedlifetimeshingles,thecostdependingonthethicknessanddurabilityoftheshingle.When
alayerofshingleswearsout,theyareusuallystripped,alongwiththeunderlayandroofingnails,allowing
anewlayertobeinstalled.Analternativemethodistoinstallanotherlayerdirectlyoverthewornlayer.
Whilethismethodisfaster,itdoesnotallowtheroofsheathingtobeinspectedandwaterdamage,often
associatedwithwornshingles,toberepaired.Havingmultiplelayersofoldshinglesunderanewlayer
causesroofingnailstobelocatedfurtherfromthesheathing,weakeningtheirhold.Thegreatestconcern
withthismethodisthattheweightoftheextramaterialcouldexceedthedeadloadcapacityoftheroof
structureandcausecollapse.
Slateisanideal,anddurablematerial,whileintheSwissAlpsroofsaremadefromhugeslabsofstone,
severalinchesthick.Theslateroofisoftenconsideredthebesttypeofroofing.Aslateroofmaylast75to
150years,andevenlonger.However,slateroofsareoftenexpensivetoinstallintheUSA,forexample,a
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slateroofmayhavethesamecostastherestofthehouse.Often,thefirstpartofaslaterooftofailisthe
fixingnailstheycorrode,allowingtheslatestoslip.IntheUK,thisconditionisknownas"nailsickness".
Becauseofthisproblem,fixingnailsmadeofstainlesssteelorcopperarerecommended,andeventhese
mustbeprotectedfromtheweather.
Asbestos,usuallyinbondedcorrugatedpanels,hasbeenusedwidelyinthe20thcenturyasaninexpensive,
nonflammableroofingmaterialwithexcellentinsulatingproperties.Healthandlegalissuesinvolvedinthe
miningandhandlingofasbestosproductsmeansthatitisnolongerusedasanewroofingmaterial.
However,manyasbestosroofscontinuetoexist,particularlyinSouthAmericaandAsia.
Roofsmadeofcutturf(modernonesknownasGreenroofs,traditionalonesassodroofs)havegood
insulatingpropertiesandareincreasinglyencouragedasawayof"greening"theEarth.Adoberoofsare
roofsofclay,mixedwithbindingmaterialsuchasstraworanimalhair,andplasteredonlathestoforma
flatorgentlyslopedroof,usuallyinareasoflowrainfall.
Inareaswhereclayisplentiful,roofsofbakedtileshavebeenthemajorformofroofing.Thecastingand
firingofrooftilesisanindustrythatisoftenassociatedwithbrickworks.Whiletheshapeandcolourof
tileswasonceregionallydistinctive,nowtilesofmanyshapesandcoloursareproducedcommercially,to
suitthetasteandpocketbookofthepurchaser.
Sheetmetalintheformofcopperandleadhasalsobeenusedformanyhundredsofyears.Bothare
expensivebutdurable,thevastcopperroofofChartresCathedral,oxidisedtoapalegreencolour,having
beeninplaceforhundredsofyears.Lead,whichissometimesusedforchurchroofs,wasmostcommonly
usedasflashinginvalleysandaroundchimneysondomesticroofs,particularlythoseofslate.Copperwas
usedforthesamepurpose.
Inthe19thcentury,iron,electroplatedwithzinctoimproveitsresistancetorust,becamealightweight,
easilytransported,waterproofingmaterial.Itslowcostandeasyapplicationmadeitthemostaccessible
commercialroofing,worldwide.Sincethen,manytypesofmetalroofinghavebeendeveloped.Steel
shingleorstandingseamroofslastabout50yearsormoredependingonboththemethodofinstallationand
themoisturebarrier(underlayment)usedandarebetweenthecostofshingleroofsandslateroofs.Inthe
20thcenturyalargenumberofroofingmaterialsweredeveloped,includingroofsbasedonbitumen
(alreadyusedinpreviouscenturies),onrubberandonarangeofsyntheticssuchasthermoplasticandon
fibreglass.
Outerlayer

Slate,Jersey.

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Terracottatiles,
Hungary.

Thatch,usingrice
straw,Japan.

Bananaleaves,
Cameroon.

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Metalsheeting,
Namibia,

repairingthatch,
Gasshozukuri
farmhouse,Japan.

Stoneusedasroofing
materialinHimachal
Pradesh,India.

TurfroofinNorway.

Functionsofaroof
Insulation
Becausethepurposeofaroofistoprotectpeopleandtheirpossessionsfromclimaticelements,the
insulatingpropertiesofaroofareaconsiderationinitsstructureandthechoiceofroofingmaterial.
Someroofingmaterials,particularlythoseofnaturalfibrousmaterial,suchasthatch,haveexcellent
insulatingproperties.Forthosethatdonot,extrainsulationisofteninstalledundertheouterlayer.In
developedcountries,themajorityofdwellingshaveaceilinginstalledunderthestructuralmembersofthe
roof.Thepurposeofaceilingistoinsulateagainstheatandcold,noise,dirtandoftenfromthedroppings
andliceofbirdswhofrequentlychooseroofsasnestingplaces.
Concretetilescanbeusedasinsulation.Wheninstalledleavingaspacebetweenthetilesandtheroof
surface,itcanreduceheatingcausedbythesun.
Formsofinsulationarefeltorplasticsheeting,sometimeswithareflectivesurface,installeddirectlybelow
thetilesorothermaterialsyntheticfoambattinglaidabovetheceilingandrecycledpaperproductsand
othersuchmaterialsthatcanbeinsertedorsprayedintoroofcavities.SocalledCoolroofsarebecoming
increasinglypopular,andinsomecasesaremandatedbylocalcodes.Coolroofsaredefinedasroofswith
bothhighreflectivityandhighthermalemittance.
Poorlyinsulatedandventilatedroofingcansufferfromproblemssuchastheformationoficedamsaround
theoverhangingeavesincoldweather,causingwaterfrommeltedsnowonupperpartsoftheroofto
penetratetheroofingmaterial.Icedamsoccurwhenheatescapesthroughtheuppermostpartoftheroof,
andthesnowatthosepointsmelts,refreezingasitdripsalongtheshingles,andcollectingintheformofice
atthelowerpoints.Thiscanresultinstructuraldamagefromstress,includingthedestructionofgutterand
drainagesystems.

Drainage
Theprimaryjobofmostroofsistokeepoutwater.Thelargeareaofaroofrepelsalotofwater,which
mustbedirectedinsomesuitableway,sothatitdoesnotcausedamageorinconvenience.
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Flatroofofadobedwellingsgenerallyhaveaveryslightslope.InaMiddleEasterncountry,wheretheroof
maybeusedforrecreation,itisoftenwalled,anddrainageholesmustbeprovidedtostopwaterfrom
poolingandseepingthroughtheporousroofingmaterial.
Similarproblems,althoughonaverymuchlargerscale,confrontthebuildersofmoderncommercial
propertieswhichoftenhaveflatroofs.Becauseoftheverylargenatureofsuchroofs,itisessentialthatthe
outerskinbeofahighlyimpermeablematerial.Mostindustrialandcommercialstructureshave
conventionalroofsoflowpitch.
Ingeneral,thepitchoftheroofisproportionaltotheamountofprecipitation.Housesinareasoflow
rainfallfrequentlyhaveroofsoflowpitchwhilethoseinareasofhighrainfallandsnow,havesteeproofs.
ThelonghousesofPapuaNewGuinea,forexample,beingroofdominatedarchitecture,thehighroofs
sweepingalmosttotheground.ThehighsteeplypitchedroofsofGermanyandHollandaretypicalin
regionsofsnowfall.InpartsofNorthAmericasuchasBuffalo,USAorMontreal,Canada,thereisa
requiredminimumslopeof6inchesin12inches,apitchof30degrees.
Thereareregionalbuildingstyleswhichcontradictthistrend,thestoneroofsoftheAlpinechaletsbeing
usuallyofgentlerincline.Thesebuildingstendtoaccumulatealargeamountofsnowonthem,whichis
seenasafactorintheirinsulation.Thepitchoftheroofisinpartdeterminedbytheroofingmaterial
available,apitchof3/12orgreaterslopegenerallybeingcoveredwithasphaltshingles,woodshake,
corrugatedsteel,slateortile.
Thewaterrepelledbytheroofduringarainstormispotentiallydamagingtothebuildingthattheroof
protects.Ifitrunsdownthewalls,itmayseepintothemortarorthroughpanels.Ifitliesaroundthe
foundationsitmaycauseseepagetotheinterior,risingdampordryrot.Forthisreasonmostbuildingshave
asysteminplacetoprotectthewallsofabuildingfrommostoftheroofwater.Overhangingeavesare
commonlyemployedforthispurpose.Mostmodernroofsandmanyoldoneshavesystemsofvalleys,
gutters,waterspouts,waterheadsanddrainpipestoremovethewaterfromthevicinityofthebuilding.In
manypartsoftheworld,roofwateriscollectedandstoredfordomesticuse.
Areaspronetoheavysnowbenefitfromametalroofbecausetheirsmoothsurfacesshedtheweightof
snowmoreeasilyandresisttheforceofwindbetterthanawoodshingleoraconcretetileroof.

Snowontheroofsof
housesinPoland.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roof

Insulation,drainageandsolarroofing

Theflatroofsofthe
MiddleEast,Israel.

Steeplypitched,gabled Theoverhangingeaves
roofsinNorthern
ofChina.
Europe.

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Greenroofwithsolar
panels,Findhorn,
Scotland.

Solarroofs
Newersystemsincludesolarshingleswhichgenerateelectricityaswellascovertheroof.Therearealso
solarsystemsavailablethatgeneratehotwaterorhotairandwhichcanalsoactasaroofcovering.More
complexsystemsmaycarryoutallofthesefunctions:generateelectricity,recoverthermalenergy,andalso
actasaroofcovering.
Solarsystemscanbeintegratedwithroofsby:
integrationinthecoveringofpitchedroofs,e.g.solarshingles.
mountingonanexistingroof,e.g.solarpanelonatileroof.
integrationinaflatroofmembraneusingheatwelding,e.g.PVC.
mountingonaflatroofwithaconstructionandadditionalweighttopreventupliftfromwind.

Pitchedroofwith
decoratedgable,
ChangMai,Thailand.

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Roofshapes

Sateriroof(with
Mansardroof,county
verticalbreakinpitch), jail,MountGilead,
Sweden
Ohio.

Conicalroof,Nanhai
AcademyinTaipei.

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Flatroofs,HaikouCity, Flatroof,house,
Hainan,China.
WesternAustralia.

Roundflatroofwith
overhang,Mnster,
Germany.

Gradedroofwitha
sparedspotusedasa
roofgarden,Mnster

Galleryofsignificantroofs

Thepolychrometiles
oftheHospicesde
Beaune,France.

Theglazedceramic
tilesoftheSydney
OperaHouse.

Themarbledomeof
theTajMahal.

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Thedomeoverthe
mihraboftheGreat
MosqueofKairoun,
Tunisia

Thecopperroofof
SpeyerCathedral,
Germany.

Imbrexandtegulatiles
onthedomeof
FlorenceCathedral.

TheleadroofofKing's Theglassroofofthe
CollegeChapel,
GrandPalais,Paris.
England.

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Conicalroofofthe
Chteaude
Chteaudun'skeep
(France,Centre,
Chteaudun)

Seealso
Automobileroof
Bituminouswaterproofing
Buildingconstruction
Buildingenvelope
Greenroof
Copperroofs
Membranestructure
Metalroof
MetalRoofingAlliance
Roofcleaning
Roofgarden
Roofer
Roofingfelt
Sodroof
Solarpanel
Tensilearchitecture
Tentedroof
Thinshellstructure
Tile
History
ListofGrecoRomanroofs

References
1. Whitney,WilliamDwight,andBenjaminE.Smith.TheCenturydictionaryandcyclopedia,vol6.NewYork:
CenturyCo.,1901.5,221.Print.
2. C.M.Harris,DictionaryofArchitecture&Construction

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