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Securing the position of PV flat roof

systems against displacement due to thermal
Expansion (“temperature migration”)

Notice paper
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Introduction
PV flat roof systems represent an important photovoltaic
market segment and offer a large
Potential for expanding photovoltaics in German
country. Commercial and industrial buildings in particular
offer large areas and can currently benefit from their
own consumption.
Most of the PV systems are mounted on flat roofs with
ballast. Advantages:
h Yield optimization
h Self-cleaning effects
h Penetration-free roof sealing h
Aerodynamically low-ballast position securing against
Wind suction and wind pressure possible
As a rule, low-ballast PV systems are aerodynamically
optimized systems in which the determination of the
required amount of ballast against wind suction and wind
pressure results from the results of wind tunnel tests.
However, temperature effects such as the displacement
of the PV system on the roof membrane - also known as
temperature migration or caterpillar effect - are not
taken into account here.
How does temperature migration occur?
Both short-term fluctuations in the air temperature
during the day as well as seasonal temperature
differences and direct sunlight cause thermal deformations
and constraining forces that have to be absorbed by the
assembly frame and the supports. In the relevant roofing
regulations (flat roof guidelines) and sealing standards
(DIN 18531), a temperature window of -20 °C < T < 80
°C is defined for roof applications, which corresponds to
a maximum temperature difference of 100 Kelvin between
the coldest and the
warmest situation. 2 When temperature changes, the
profiles of the PV mounting frame regularly lengthen
and shorten due to thermal
1 Roofs with waterproofing often have a shallow slope of up to 5% or 3° for drainage.
2 The maximum temperature depends in particular on the color and may differ from this information.
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However, these must be taken into account during
installation, because it is now known that even with very
flat roof pitches (e.g. 1°)1, repeated temperature
changes can lead to migration effects of the frame on
the roof sealing. This effect is independent of the wind
load and the weight of the ballasting! Therefore,
temperature effects such as temperature migration must
also be taken into account to secure the situation.
scope of application
This information paper is intended to
provide recommendations on how to ensure
adequate positioning against temperature
changes on flat roofs with seals. The
universally applicable formulas for forced
and downhill forces also offer planning
experts support for the individual solution
approaches.
Expansion (day/night, seasonal) and slips only a few
millimeters but repeatedly on the roof sealing. Even
with the smallest roof inclinations, downhill forces act,
so that when the PV system slips it moves down the
slope by a small amount (tenths of a millimeter). This
can lead to a continuous migration over time.
Temperature-related shifts of bal-loaded systems on the
roof are not a one-time event, but rather continuous
processes that occur with each heating and cooling cycle.
This process of slow displacement is also known as the
“caterpillar effect”.
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Possible effects of the

Temperature movement
When servicing ballasted solar systems, it is often
discovered that the solar system has moved on the roof.
The displacement takes place either between the frame
and the building
protective mat or between the building protection mat
and roof sealing.
The frame of the PV system can hit other components
on the roof or get caught. It
Damage to the roof sealing or other components such as
parapets, skylights, ventilation pipes, lightning protection
systems, cable feed, etc. can occur. In the worst case,
if there are no “obstacles” and no inspection and
maintenance is carried out, the PV system can move
beyond the edge of the roof over the years.
In addition to mechanical damage, e.g. B. on the roof
sealing, system movements can also cause damage
to electrical components, such as: B. Cable damage, and
the associated risks caused by bare cables (electric shock,
risk of arcing). Without mechanical fastening,
migration of the system cannot be ruled out in most
cases. The level of the coefficient of static friction (e.g.
between the roof sealing and the building protection
mat) hardly influences the temperature migration.
Securing the PV system against movements is therefore
absolutely necessary, not only to protect the roof seal,
but also for reasons of electrical safety and fire protection.

Solutions
To protect the seal, a protective and sliding layer
between the mounting system and the roof seal is
essential. A thicker protective layer has a significantly
positive effect in terms of temperature migration, as
thermal expansion can be better absorbed and a
possible build-up of force between the assembly frame,
protective layer and roof sealing (“constraint forces”) can
possibly be avoided. In any case, care must be taken to
prevent the substructure from slipping on the mats, e.g.
B. the protection/

Separating layers can be connected to the floor rail

(e.g. gluing, clamping or other mechanical fastening). In
addition, it is of course important to ensure that the
respective protective layers and roof seals are material-
compatible. Due to the large number of possible materials,
this may need to be clarified on a case-by-case basis.
Three approaches to avoiding temperature changes are
presented below.

Figure 1: Effect of the expansion forces

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Figure 1: Coupling of two fields with different gradients
Solution 2:
Division into small fields
The temperature migration effect depends on the size
of a connected module field, the properties of the roof
surface (roof waterproofing membrane) and the
intermediate layer under the mounting system. The
distance between the expansion joints is decisive for the
temperature deformation.
Additional movement joints (e.g. every 5-8 meters)
can be used to divide the area into smaller fields and
thus reduce the migration effect. However, usual sizes
in practice are 15 to 20 meters with expansion joints of 5
to 10 cm.
By coupling the individual module fields or the individual
modules with each other using
binding elements, the additional ballast can be reduced
accordingly depending on the load-bearing capacity of
the connection. However, it must be pointed out that
the division into small fields results in an increased
amount of ballast required and, as a result, an increased
roof area load. This can lead to the permissible load
reserve of the roof being exceeded. In this case this
variant is not possible. In addition, there is one
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Solution 1:
Coupling the fields
with each other
For drainage reasons, a slope on the flat roof is necessary
(at least 2% or 1° roof inclination ([7], [8]). The
inclinations of (partial) roof surfaces often run in different
directions. If PV system parts are on different slopes If
surfaces are installed, the system parts can be coupled,
for example with wire ropes, to avoid the need for
fastening to secure the position. It must be taken into
account here that fields have approximately the same
mass and the same, but opposite, inclination can be
coupled (balance of forces).
Note on safe execution The
coupling must be carried out in such a way that
damage to the ridge is prevented, e.g. B. using a load-
distributing protective pad.
This results in additional material requirements (base rail)
and it must be ensured that the load does not damage the
roof sealing or, if applicable, the insulation.
Even with this approach, migration of the system without
mechanical fastening cannot be ruled out. As part of
regular inspection and maintenance work, the individual
module fields can be returned to their original position.
If it is necessary to reposition displaced generator units,
this is in most cases only possible after deballasting.
In this approach, the protective mats are particularly
important because they can compensate for some of
the temperature deformation. As a result, they significantly
reduce or even eliminate the migration effects, especially
in small generator units (small thermal changes in length
and high elasticity of the supports). Material properties
such as: B. the shear softness and the thickness
(usually 6-25 mm), which also has an influence on the
aerodynamics and load capacity.
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Figure 2: Division of a large

Module field into three smaller module fields

Solution 3:
Attachment to fixed points
on the building
Solution 3a: Fastening to additional fixed points

Attaching the frame to additional load connection

points is another way to secure the PV system against
temperature changes.

Danger!
Existing load attachment points (securants) may not be
used.

Additional anchor points must be provided and must

be installed by the roofer.

Danger!
Most commercially available load attachment points for
fall protection are also not suitable for securing the
position, as they deform elastically and plastically as
desired when used as fall protection when subjected
to horizontal stress.

Danger!
A structural engineer must be called in to dimension the
fixed points. Figure 3: Attachment to additional fixed points

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Solution 3b: Attachment to the parapet
Another option for securing the system
mechanically is to attach it to the substructure of the
parapet (not to the sheet metal cover). It should be
noted that there are many different versions of the attic,
e.g. B. made of reinforced concrete, wooden planks or
steel profiles.
Danger!
If this option is to be used, the load introduction and the
horizontal
Zontal load capacity of the parapet by a structural engineer
take place.
Ideally, suitable anchor points to secure the position of
the PV system are already planned in the planning
phase of a new building, including any necessary
sealing of these anchor points.
Notice
System-internal static effects on the PV mounting
system must be taken into account.
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Figure 4: Attachment to the parapet
Solution 3c: Support against the parapet
It is also possible to support the frame over a large area
against the parapet. The prerequisite is that loads can
be safely transferred to the building's supporting
structure. The advantage of this is that no penetration
of the raised roof waterproofing or the sheet metal on the
parapet is necessary. However, a protective layer
must be provided on the contact surface so that no
damage can occur (NO sharp edges!). In addition,
drainage at the edges of the roof must not be disturbed.
The advantage of this variant is that with a continuous
load introduction into the parapet, the load
concentrations are lower than with solution approach 3b.
A structural engineer should also be consulted here.
Manufacturer-specific solutions
It should be noted that there are manufacturer-specific
solutions that completely avoid or compensate for the
migration effect.
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Determination of the occurring

Horizontal forces
The calculations described below can only be used for fixed systems – solution approach 3.

A) Downhill force
In the event that the connection of the PV system is very elastic and no constraining forces build up,
the holding forces are determined as if there were no friction at all between the roof sealing and the rails.

The holding forces therefore correspond to the downhill force and are determined as follows for the dead
weight of the PV installation.

Total weight Gtot (kN):

+ Weight mounting system m + ballast m
Gtot (kN) = module weight m module Mounting system ballast

The area of the PV system that affects the fixed point must be taken into account (load catchment
area).

Ha,k (kN) = Gk (kN) × sin ÿ

with

Ha,k = downhill force (index k stands for the so-called characteristic value)
ÿ = roof inclination angle in degrees

To prove the fastening with design values (index d), a safety factor gQ of serviceability (SLS) should be
added to the slope downforce:

Ha,d = gQ × Ha,k (kN)

with

ÿQ = partial safety factor for unfavorable variable loads = 1.0 (DIN EN 1990, Appendix A)
When verifying the fixed point, a material safety factor ÿM should be taken into account.

Example calculation for A):

A module field with 9 module rows of 10 modules each, roof inclination: 3° is considered.
The installation of tension diagonals is necessary if the entire PV system does not have sufficient rigidity to
support the slope downforce from the individual modules to forward fixed points.

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Calculating the total weight:

Weight ballast:

mBallast = 183 stones × 10 kg = 1,830 kg

Module weight with example module with 18.2 kg mModul

= 90 modules × 18.2 kg/module = 1,638 kg

Weight of the mounting system: own weight 5 kg/module mmounting

system = 90 modules × 5 kg/module = 450 kg

Sum of the total weight of the module field mges = 1,830

kg + 1,638 kg + 450 kg = 3,918 kg

Conversion to weight: Gtot = 3,918

kg × 9.81 m/s2 = 38,400 N Gtot = 38.4 kN

Calculation of the slope down force

Characteristic slope down force for a roof pitch of 3°:

Ha,k,tot = 38.4 kN × sin (3°) = 2.01 kN

The stress is distributed evenly over the 2 fixed points:

Ha,k,fixed point = 2.01 kN/2 = 1.01 kN

Using the partial safety factors, one obtains the design value of the horizontal force acting on a fixed point:

Ha,d,fixed point = 1.0 × 1.01 kN = 1.01 kN

Figure 5: Ballast plan with details of the

Ballasting in number of stones (10kg each)

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B) Coercive force (static friction)

In the event that the PV system is shortened due to temperature, the fixation is necessary
If the position securing does not give way, the static friction force can build up in the worst case:

Coercive force:

HZ,k(kN) = µ × Gk (kN) × cos ÿ

µ = coefficient of static friction [-]

The coefficient of static friction can be determined in the test together with the coefficient of sliding friction on site (see BSW
information paper [9]). The greatest force that occurs before the system begins to slide is decisive.

Example calculation for B):

For the example calculation above, the constraining force HZ is determined assuming an on-site static friction coefficient of

µ = 0.8 :

HZ,k,tot = 0.8 × 38.4 kN × cos (3°) = 24.5 kN

HZ,k,fixed point = 24.5 kN/2 = 12.3 kN
HZ,d,fixed point = 1.0 × 12.3 KN = 12.3 kN

The load from the constraining force is relatively high and not so easy to introduce into the building.
In this respect, it makes sense to avoid the build-up of a constraining force by taking additional measures (installing elastic spring
elements or similar).

Standards, guidelines and

Notice papers
h [1] DIN EN 1990 Eurocode: Basics of structural planning
h [2] DIN EN 1991-1 Effects on structures - Part 1-1: General effects on structures
h [3] DIN EN 1992 Design and construction of reinforced concrete and prestressed concrete structures
h [4] DIN EN 1993 Design and construction of steel structures
h [5] DIN EN 1995 Dimensioning and construction of wooden buildings
h [6] DIN EN 1999 Dimensioning and construction of aluminum structures
h [7] DIN 18531 (2017) Sealing of roofs as well as balconies, loggias and arcades -
Part 1: Unused and used roofs - requirements, planning and implementation principles.
h [8] German roofing trade - rules for sealing (ZDVH flat roof guidelines)
h [9] Information paper BSW-Solar: Recommendation for the coefficient of static friction to be applied
ballasted solar systems

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Photo credit: IBC Solar

This information paper was created by the German BSW – Federal Association of the Solar Industry e. v.
Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar) German Solar Association
Construction technology specialist group EUREF Campus 16
10829 Berlin
Status: 2019

Publisher: Federal Association of the Solar Industry eV phone +49 30 2977788-43

fax +49 30 2977788-99
Contact: Maria Roos roos@bsw-solar.de

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