Evaluation of Vulnerability to Heavy Precipitation of the Roofs of Historic Chilean Buildings with Wooden Structure. A Methodology to Apply at an Early Stage

Abstract

Deck areas prone to leaking rainwater can be identified at an early stage, even before the filtration process begins to occur. The identification of the factors that determine the degree of roof vulnerability to rainfall and their rainwater drainage system and the elaboration of a diagnostic procedure to be applied is fundamental, above all, for the preventive maintenance of historic buildings. In the absence of Chilean regulations on the sizing of the roof rainwater drainage system, the European standard BS EN 12056-3, the Manual for the Design of Roof Drainage Systems, the Chilean road study procedure manuals and other documents were reviewed, and the principles, concepts, dimensioning parameters, constructive recommendations, etc., were transformed into graphically represented processes to facilitate the evaluation of the safety and vulnerability of the various constructive elements to the filtration of rainwater. The factors that determine the degree of vulnerability of the roof to the filtration of rainwater are given by its conformation, its materiality, its dimensioning and its environment, primarily affecting elements such as the roof, gutters and outlets. The result that the evaluator can expect from the proposed methodology is the identification of the aspects that make both the roof and the rainwater drainage system vulnerable, distributed in space, providing him or her with the basis for designing an intervention plan and preventive actions, and this practice should be implemented for sustainable heritage conservation.