A roof may be defined as the uppermost part of the

building, provided as a structural covering, to protect the

building from weather (ie from rain, sun, wind etc).
• A roof consists of structural elements which support
roof coverings.
• The structural elements may be trusses, portals, beams,
slabs(with or without beams), shells or domes.
• The roof coverings may be A.C sheets, G.I sheets,
wooden shingle, tiles, slates or slab itself.
• It should have adequate strength and stability to carry the super-
imposed dead and live loads.
• It should effectively protect the building against rain, sun, wind, etc.
and it should be durable against the adverse effects of these
agencies.
• It should be waterproof and should have efficient drainage
arrangements.
• It should provide adequate thermal insulation.
• It should be fire resistant.
• It should provide adequate insulation against sound. Most forms of
roof construction provide for majority of buildings an adequate
insulation against sound from external sources.
Roofs may be divided into three categories:
• Pitched or sloping roofs
• Flat roofs or terraced roofs
• Curved roofs

The selection of the type of roof depends upon the

shape or plan of the building, climatic conditions of
the area and type of constructional materials
available.
A roof with sloping surface is known as a pitched roof.

They are basically of the following forms:

• lean-to-roof
• Gable roof
• Hip roof
• Gambrel roof
• Mansard or curb roof
• Deck roof
LEAN-TO-ROOF: This is the simplest type of sloping roof, provided either for a room
of small span, or for the verandah. It has slope only one side.

GABLE ROOF: This is the common type of sloping roof which slopes in two directions.
The two slopes meet at the ridge. At the end face, a vertical triangle is formed.
HIP ROOF: This roof is formed by four sloping surfaces in four directions. At
the end faces, sloped triangles are formed.

GAMBREL ROOF: This roof, like gable roof, slopes in two directions, but there
is a break in each slope. At each end, vertical face is formed.
MANSARD ROOF: This roof, like a hip roof, slopes in four directions, but each
slope has a break. Thus, sloping ends are obtained.

DECK ROOF: A deck roof has slopes in all four directions, like a hip roof, but a
deck or plane surface is formed at the top.
• 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. It is

expressed either in terms of degrees(angle) or as a ratio of rise to span.

• RIDGE: It is defined as the apex line of the sloping roof. It is 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 is called eaves. From the
lower edge(eaves), the rain water 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 180 degrees.

• VALLEY: It is a reverse of a hip. It is formed by the intersection of two roof

surfaces, making an external angle less than 180 degrees.

• 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.

• RIDGE PIECE, RIDGE BEAM OR RIDGE BOARD: It is the horizontal wooden

member, in the form of a beam or board, which is provided at the apex of a
roof truss. It supports the common rafters fixed to it.

• PURLINS: 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 .
• COMMON RAFTERS OR SPARS: These are inclined wooden members
running from the ridge to the eaves. They are bevelled against the ridge
beam at the head, and are fixed to purlins at intermediate point. They
support the battens or boarding to support the roof coverings. Depending
upon the roof covering material, the rafters are spaced 30 to 45 cm centre
to centre

• HIP RAFTERS: These are the sloping rafters which form the hip of a sloped
roof. They run diagonally from the ridge to the corners of the walls to
support roof coverings. They receive the ends of the purlins and ends of
jack rafters.

• VALLEY RAFTERS: These are the sloping rafters which run diagonally from
the ridge to the eaves for supporting valley gutters. They receive the ends
of the purlins and ends of jack rafters on both sides.
• EAVES BOARD OR FACIA BOARD: It is a wooden plank or board fixed to the
feet of the common rafters at the eaves. It is usually 25 mm thick and 25
mm wide. The ends of lower most roof covering material rest upon it. The
eaves gutter, if any, can also be secured against it.

• BARGE BOARD: It is a timber board used to hold the common rafter

forming verge.

• WALL PLATES: These are long wooden members, which are provided on
the top of stone or brick wall, for the purpose of fixing the feet of the
common rafters. These are embedded from sides and bottom in masonry
of the walls, almost at the centre of their thickness. Wall plates actually
connect the walls to the roof.

• JACK RAFTERS: These are the rafters shorter in length, which run from hip
or valley to the eaves.
• BATTENS: These are thin strips of wood, called scantlings, which are nailed to
the rafters for lying roof materials above.

• BOARDINGS: They act similar to battens and are nailed to common rafter to
support the roofing material.

• TEMPLATE: This is a square or rectangular block of stone or concrete placed

under a beam or truss, to spread the load over a larger area of the wall.

• CLEATS: These are short sections of wood or steal (angle iron), which are fixed
on the principal rafters or trusses to support the purlins.

• TRUSS: A roof truss is a frame work, usually of triangles, designed to support the
roof covering or ceiling over rooms.
Pitched roofs are of the
following types:

• Single roof
• Double or Purlin roof
• Triple-membered or framed
roof or trussed roof
Single roofs are those which consist of only the rafters which are supported at the
ridge and at the eaves.

Such roofs are used only when the span is limited to 5 metres, otherwise the size of
the rafters will be economical.

They are of four types:

• Lean-to-roof, verandah-roof or shed roof
• Couple roof
• Couple close roof
• Collar beam roof
• This is the simplest type of sloping roof, in which rafters slope to one
side only.
• It is also known as pent roof or aisle roof.
• The wall to one side of the room(or verandah) is taken higher than
the wall (or pillars) to the other side.
• The difference in elevation between the two wall plates is so kept
that the desired slope is obtained. Usual slope is 30 degrees.
• This type of roof is suitable for maximum span of of 2.5 m.
• These are provided for sheds, out-houses attached to main building,
verandahs, etc.
• This type of roof is formed by couple or pair of rafters which
slope to both the sides of the ridge of the roof.

• Such a roof is not very much favored because it has the

tendency to spread out at the feet(wall plate level) and thrust
out the walls supporting the wall plates.

• Due to this, the couple roof is used when the span is limited to
3.6 metres.
• A couple close roof is similar to the couple roof, except that the ends
of the couple of common rafters is connected by horizontal member,
called tie beam, to prevent the rafters from spreading and thrusting
out of the wall.
• A couple close roof is economically suitable for spans up to 4.20 m.
• For increased span or for greater loads, the rafters may have
tendency to sag in the middle.
• This can be checked by providing a central vertical rod, called king
rod or king bolt which connects the ridge piece and the tie beam.
• 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).
• This roof is suitable for span upto 5 metres.
• A low collar position gives stronger roof.
• A collar beam provides roof greater height of the room.
It is similar to the collar roof, except that two collar beams, crossing each
other have an appearance of scissors.
• These roofs have two basic elements:
(i) rafters and
(ii) purlins.
• The purlins give intermediate support to the rafters, and are
supported on end walls.
• Purlins reduce the size of the rafters to the economical range. Such a
roof is also known as rafter and purlin roof.
• Each rafter is thus supported at three points:
(a)at the bottom; on the wall though wall plate,
(b) at the top, by the ridge, and
(c) at the centre by a purlin.
• For larger roofs, two or more purlins may be provided to support
each rafter.
When the span of the roof exceeds 5 m and where there are no inside walls
to support the purlins, framed structures known as trusses are provided at
suitable interval along the length of the room.

The roof consists of 3 major elements:

a) Rafters: to support the roofing material
b) Purlins: to provide intermediate support to the rafters
c) Trusses: to provide support to the ends of the purlins
The various types of trusses are as follows:
• King-post truss
• Queen-post truss
• Combination of king-post and queen-post truss
• Mansard truss
• Truncated truss
• Bel-fast truss or Bow- string truss
• Steel truss
• Composite truss
A king-post truss consists of the following components:
• Lower tie beam
• Two inclined principal rafters - supports the purlins
• Two struts - supports the principal rafters
• A king-post - prevents sagging of tie-beam at the centre
• Two purlins - placed at right angles to the principle rafters and
supports the common rafters
• Common Rafters - supports the roof covering
• Cleats - prevent the purlins from tilting

The spacing of king-post truss is limited to 3 m centre to centre and it

is suitable for spans varying from 5 to 8 metre.
A queen-post truss has two vertical posts known as Queen-posts unlike king-
post where there is only one.

A queen post roof truss has the following components:

• Straining Beam - horizontal beam that connects the top of the
queen posts
• Two struts - join the feet of the queen post to the principle rafter
• Straining sill - to counteract the thrust from the struts which are in
compression
• Purlins with cleats
• Principle rafters and common rafters
• Tie beams
Queen post roof truss are suitable for spans between 8-12 m.
Queen post trusses are suitable for spans up to 12 metres. For greater
spans, the queen-post truss can be strengthened by one more upright
member, called princess-post to each side.

A combination of the king-post and queen-post is suitable up to 18 m

span.
This truss is named after its designer and is a combination of king-post and
queen-post truss.
• It is a 2- storey truss, with the upper portion consisting of king-post truss
and lower portion of queen-post truss.

• Mansard truss has two pitches. The upper pitch varies from 30⁰-40⁰
while that of lower pitch varies from 60⁰ - 70⁰.

• The use of this truss results in economy in space but it has now become
obsolete because of it odd shape.
It is similar to Mansard
truss, except that its top is
formed flat, with a gentle
slope to one side.

Generally used when it is

required to provide a room
in the roof, between the
two queen posts of the
truss.
• It is also called Bow-string
roof truss since it is in the
form of a bow, with its top
chord being curved.
• This can be used up to a
span of 30 m if the roof
covering is light.
Roof made of two materials, such as timber and steel,
are known as composite roof truss.
Normally the tension members are made of steel and
the compression members of timber.
• When the span exceeds
10m, timber trusses
become heavy and
uneconomical.

• Steel trusses are used

economically over larger
spans.
• Consist of a roof truss supported over steel stanchions

• Transversely braced

• Roof trusses provided over columns provide structural roof

system for industrial buildings

• Used in factories or mills

• Asbestos corrugated and Trafford cement sheets are

commonly used as roof covering material
• Section comprising of steel trusses are readily available in
required dimensions resulting in minimum wastage of
material.
• They are light in weight, easy to construct and can be
fabricated in any shape depending upon structural and
architectural requirements.
• Steel trusses are stronger and more rigid in comparison to
timber trusses.
• They can be used for any span.
• Steel trusses are fire-proof
• Steel trusses are termite proof
• They are more resistant to other environmental agencies and
have longer life.
• Open trusses

• North light trusses

• Bow string trusses

• Arched rib trusses and solid

arched ribs
Roof covering is an essential
component of pitched roof
to be placed over the
framework

Function:
• Protect the framework
from atmospheric
agencies.
• Type of building
• Type of framework
• Initial cost
• Maintenance requirements
• Fabrication facilities
• Appearance and special features of locality
• Availability of material
• Climate of locality
• Thatch covering
• Wood shingle roofing
• Tile roofing
• Asbestos cement sheet roofing
• Galvanised corrugated iron sheet roofing
• Eternit or slate roofing
• Light weight roofing
• Consists of bundles of reed
or bamboo laid with their
butt end pointing towards
the eave after soaking in
water
• Framework consists or
round bamboo rafters
spaced 20 to 30 cm apart
• Thatch is secured to the
framework using ropes or
twine dipped in tar
• Very cheap
• Very light
• Easy to lay.
• Highly combustible
• Unstable against high winds
• Absorbs moisture
• Liable to decay
• Harbors burrowing animals
• Gives bad smell in rainy
season
• Shingles are thin slabs of well seasoned wood
• They are 10 mm thick at the butt end and taper to 3 mm
or less at the head
• Used in hilly areas
• Light weight
• Not resistant to fire and termite
Used for residential buildings and country houses

Different types:
• Plain or flat tile
• Curved or pan tiles
• Pot tiles
• Spanish tiles
• Italian or allahabad tile
• Inter locking tiles
• Made of clay or concrete
• Manufactured in rectangular shapes of size
varying from 25 cm x15 cm to 28 cm x 18 cm
• They have slight camber of 5 to 10 mm in their
length
• Stubs project on bed or underside at head to
facilitate hanging from battens
• Tiles are nailed through the hole formed at about
25 mm from head and 48 mm from edges
• Common rafters are first laid at 20 to
30 cm apart
• Battens are the fixed across rafters at a
spacing of 4 to 6 cm
• Tiles are then laid over it with
sufficient overlap on sides and edges
• They are 33 to 36 cm long,22.5 to 25 cm wide and12 to 19 mm thick

• Flat longitudinally and curved transversely

• They are unbonded having continuous ide joints from eave to ridge

• Single lapped with head of longitudinal lap varying from 7.5 to 10 cm

• Two diagonally opposite are splayed off to the depth of lap to permit
close fit between tiles
Half-round country tiles
• Laid in pairs of under tilles and over tiles

• Undertiles are laid with concave surface upward and over tiles with
convex surface upward

• End sections are semicircular and the diameter tapers longitudinally

• Used in villages
Spanish tiles
• Laid in pairs of under
tiles and over tile

• Overtiles taper down

from tail to head while
the undertiles from
head to tail
Italian or Allahabad tiles
• It consists of flat broa bottom undertile that alternate with convex
curved overtile

• Undertile is flat,tapered,with flanges at the side

• The overtile is half round and tapered in plan with diameter tapering
from 16 cm at tail to ly 12 cm at the head

• The taper in the overtile allow the tile in next course to fit in

• Vertical battens of size 2.2cmx7.5cm are fixed between sides of

adjacent undertiles and to these haif round overtiles

• Overtiles are fixed to vertical battens with 75 mm nails

Interlocking tiles

• Machine made

• Available with patent

locking devices to
prevent their
dislodgement
Granny bonnet hip tiles
• Special tiles used for hip

• They are well bedded

with mortar on the back
of the tile below and is
secured with long nail to
the hip rafter

• Bonded with general

plain tiles
Asbestos cement sheet roofing:
• Manufactured from asbestos, fibre and
portland cement

• Used for industrial buildings, factories, sheds,

cinema houses, auditorium, residential
buildings
Advantages
• Cheap
• Light weight
• Tough
• Durable
• Water tight
• Fire resistant
• Vermin resistant
• Available in bigger units
• SupportinG f framework is cheaper, easier and lighter
• Do not require protective paint
• Does not require elaborate maintenance
• Fast construction
Available in three forms
Everest big six corrugated sheet
• have 7.5 corrugations per sheet
• overall depth of corrugationis 55 mm
• sheets are fixed with smooth surface to steel or wooden purlins
Everest standard corrugated ac sheet
• have 10.5 corrugations per sheet
• overall depth of corrugation is 25 mm
• end lap is 150 mm and side lap is 100 mm
Everest trafford ac tiles
• standard width is 1.09 m
• each sheet has four 50mm deep corrugations alternating with flat
portions
• end lap is150 mm and side lap 74 mm
Procedure for laying
• laid at the end opposite to the direction of prevailing wind
and rain

• Laid either from left to right or from right to left

• Sheets are fixed to purlins from top of corrugations through

holes made 3 mm greater than diameter of bolts

• Coach screws are used with wooden purlins and crank bolts
with steel purlins

• The laying is commenced from eaves

• When the laying is done from left to right first sheet us laid
uncut while the subsequent sheets in bottom row have top
left hand corners mitred

• The sheets in subsequent layers have bothb their right hand

bottom corner and left hand top corner mitred

• Every sheet in the top row except the last sheet should have
bottom rigt
corner mitred

• The process is reversed when sheets are laid from right to left
Points to be noted while fixing A.C. sheets
• it should be laid with smooth side upward and end marked
TOP pointing towards the ridge

• End lap and side lap should be properly maintained

• Purlin spacing and length of sheet should be properly

checked

• Holes for fixing accessories should be drilled in the crown

of corrugations with a diameter 3 mm more than diameter
of the fixing bolt
• Bitumen washer should be provided under G.I. flat
washer.the nuts of the screws or bolts should be
tightened when 10 to 12 sheets have been laid

• Ridge cappings should be secured to ridge purlin

• Sheets should be mitred properly as required

• Unsupported overhang of A.C. sheets should not

exceed 30 cm
Galvanised iron corrugated sheets

• Made of iron sheets galvanised with zinc to protect them

from rusting action

• Manufactured with corrugations running from one end to

another to impart additional strength

• Not used for slopes flatter than 1 in 4

• Stronger than A.C. sheets

• High cost

• Laid similar to A.C. sheets

Specifications for laying
• End lap should not be less than 15 cm and side lap varies
from 1.5 to 2 corrugations

• Holes are drilled in sheet crowns

• Sheets are secured to purlin by G.I. hook bolts,

• Screws and nails with curved washers

• Sheets are fixed to eaves by flat iron wind ties

Eternit roofing

• Consists of bituminous slates called eternit

• Slates are obtained from quarries as blocks which is

reduced to slabs after dividing into sections using
diamond or circular saw.Each slab is divided inti thin
laminae or slate by uing splitters

• Thickness of slate vary from 600mmx300mm to

400mmx200mm

• Available in three colours-grey,black and red

Laying:
• Laid such that each slate overlaps a slate in the next course
below it

• Two holes are made from the bed of the slab at the centre
or head so

• Slates are fixed to battens by copper or zinc nails

• The spacing of battens i.e,gauge is determined as

gauge=(length of slate-lap)/2

• A layer of felt is used below slate to exclude rqain water

and moisture
Light weight roofing

• Used for wide span industrial structures

• Reduces weight of roof

• Requires cheap structural framing

• A water proof layer of asphalt or roofing felt is required

with this roofing
Aluminium roof sheeting

• Consists of aluminium alloyed with small

percentage olf manganese for strength

• Lightest roofing

• Used for sloping roofs

Asbestos cement sheeting

• Manufactured from asbestos,fibre and

portland cement

• Used for sloping roofs

Wood wool decking

• Made from wood fibre interwoven together and cement

bonded under pressure in mould

• The roofing slabs vary in thickness from 50mm to 75 mm

and in size of 0.6 m width and upto 3.9 m length

• They are nailed to timber joists at 600 to 900 mm centres

using 102 to 105 mm long clout nails

• They can take load upto 0.75 kN/m when unreinforced

• Used for both sloping and flat roofs

Straw board decking

• Made of compressed straw with thick water proof

paper covering

• Thickess is 50 mm,width 1.2mm,and length from

1.8 m to 3.6 m

• The board is supported at 600 mm centres along all

edges for roof deckings

• Used for both sloping and flat roofs

Aluminium alloy and steel decking
• Used for sloping and flat roofs

• Suitable upto a superimposed load of 0.75 kN/m2

• The roofing has thickness varying from 0.7 mm to 1.2 mm,depth of

corrugation varying from 450 to 900 mm and length upto 10 m

• It I fixed to roof support by hook bolts and cleats,hammer drive screws

• A felt vapour barrier is bonded with bitumen to the top of the deck on
which an insulating media is bonded to be covered with felt roofing

• Top layer is finished with a layer of white stone chiplings spread on

bitumen to provide for solar reflectivity and reduce heat absorption in
summer
Flat roof is one which is either horizontal or practically
horizontal with a slope less than 10⁰. A roof has to have some
amount of slope so as to drain the rain water easily and
rapidly.

The flat roofs can be constructed similar to upper floors using

flag stones, RSJ and flag stones, reinforced cement concrete,
reinforced brick work, jack arch roof pr precast concrete units.

The flat roofs differ from the upper floor only from the point of
view of top finish, commonly called terracing, to protect it
from adverse effects of rain, snow, heat etc.
• Flat roof can be used as terrace for playing, gardening,
sleeping and for celebrating functions.

• Construction and maintenance is easier.

• They can be easily made fire-proof, in comparison to pitched

roof.

• They avoid the enclosure of the triangular space. Due to this,

the architectural appearance of building is improved.

• Flat roofs have better insulating properties.

• They require lesser area of roofing material than pitched roofs.

• They are more stable against high winds.

• They do not require false ceiling, which is essential for pitched roofs.

• They are economical.

• The construction of upper floors can be done easily over flat roofs, if
required.

• In multi- storied buildings, flat roof is the only choice, since over-head
water tanks and other services are located on the terrace.
• The span of flat roof is restricted, unless intermediate
columns are introduced. Pitched roofs can be used over large
spans without any intermediate columns.

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

• They are suitable at places of heavy rainfall.

• They are highly unsuitable in hilly areas or other areas where

there is heavy snowfall.
• It is difficult to locate and rectify leak in a flat roof.
• They are vulnerable to heavy temperature variations,
specially in tropics, due to which cracks are developed on the
surface. These cracks may lead to water penetration later, if
not repaired on time.

• The speed of flat roof construction is much slower than the

pitched roof.

• The initial cost of flat roof is much more than that of pitched
roof.

• The flat roof exposes the entire building to the weather

agencies, while the projecting elements of pitched roofs such
as eaves provide some protection to the building.
 Mud terrace roofing
 Brick jelly or Madras terrace roofing
 Mud-phuska terracing with tile paving
 Lime concrete terracing
 Lime concrete terracing with tile paving
 Bengal terracing roof
 Light weight terracing roof