Wind Effects on Roofs with High-Profile Tiles: Experimental Study

Abstract

AbstractHurricane wind–induced damage to the roofs of residential buildings has raised concerns regarding design provisions and construction practices. Current code provisions on wind loads on roofs are mainly based on testing of building models that do not include the architectural details of roofing materials. Past research has indicated that net pressures on roof tiles can differ significantly from external pressures on bare roofs and depend on wind direction, the location of the tile, and whether the eaves are sealed. This study presents experimental pressure measurements that confirm existing findings and provide more extensive results on wind loads on high-profile roof tiles. Four different roof models with bare and tiled roof decks were tested. Pressures on the external surfaces of the tiles, within the cavity space, and in the joint space between two overlapping tiles were measured to evaluate their effects on the net peak pressures on the tiles. Area-averaged peak pressure coefficients obtained f...