Roof Drainage Research Articles

Optimize Stormwater Management for Green Roofs Based on IoT Technology and Sensor Networks

The intensification of global climate change and the significant increase of extreme rainfall events have made traditional urban drainage systems face great adjustments. As a key component of green infrastructure to avoid urban flood risk, green roofs are receiving increasing attention due to their unique capabilities in stormwater management. This paper explores the potential of Internet of Things (IoT) technology and sensor networks to enhance green roof stormwater management. Integrated real-time monitoring of key environmental parameters, including soil moisture, temperature and rainfall, enables the system to dynamically adjust roof drainage and irrigation strategies. This greatly improves the rainwater retention capacity and reduces the pressure on the municipal sewage system. The results show that the combination of IoT technology and sensor networks not only improves the efficiency of green roof management in combating climate change, but also promotes the efficient use of water resources and enhances the adaptability and sustainability of the system. This research provides the necessary technical support for the wider adoption of green roofs in urban environments and offers viable solutions to future challenges posed by climate change.

EVALUATING WASTEWATER TREATMENT EFFICIENCY OF MEDICAL CENTERS IN BINH DUONG PROVINCE

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the wastewater management system implemented at a medical center located within the Bau Bang Industrial Park in Binh Duong province, Vietnam. With a staff of 166 and 60 beds, the facility operates in accordance with TCVN 4470:2012 General Hospital design standards, serving a diverse range of water demands including domestic, medical, and auxiliary requirements. The wastewater management system is meticulously designed to handle both rainwater and wastewater separately. Rainwater is efficiently collected through surface and roof drainage networks, while domestic and medical wastewater undergo discrete collection processes. The medical center's wastewater treatment facility, operating at a capacity of 100 m³/day, employs a multistage treatment process to ensure compliance with stringent regulatory standards (QCVN 28:2010/BTNMT, column B, K = 1). This process includes preliminary treatment, anaerobic and aerobic biological treatment, membrane filtration, and disinfection. The facility consistently meets quality parameters outlined in QCVN 28:2010/BTNMT, exhibiting effective removal rates for organic pollutants, suspended solids, ammonia, phosphates, and pathogens. Furthermore, the medical center demonstrates commendable environmental stewardship through its stormwater drainage infrastructure, which integrates seamlessly with the local drainage network, safeguarding against environmental contamination. Overall, the wastewater management practices at the medical center exemplify best practices in environmental management within the healthcare sector. This study provides valuable insights into the design, implementation, and performance evaluation of wastewater treatment systems in industrial settings, contributing to the global discourse on sustainable wastewater management practices.

Plumbing defects in residential buildings: analysis of anomalies and their causes

PurposeMost residential building owners often report problems associated with the plumbing systems. If identified at the early stages, plumbing-related defects can be easily repaired. However, if unnoticed for a long period of time, they could lead to major damages and incur a significant cost to repair. Despite the problems, studies investigating plumbing anomalies and their root causes in residential buildings are limited. This study aims to explore plumbing defects and their potential causes, diagnosis methods and repair techniques in residential buildings.Design/methodology/approachThis research used data collected through an extensive survey of both academic and grey literature. Through the content analysis, plumbing defects and the associated causes have been identified and presented in tabular format.FindingsThe study investigated the anomalies and causes in the residential plumbing system under five key sub-systems: water supply system; sanitary plumbing system; roof drainage system; heating, ventilation, air conditioning and gas system; and swimming pool. Accordingly, some of the identified plumbing defects include leakages, corrosion, water penetration, slow drainage and cracks. Damaged pipes, faulty equipment and installations are some of the common causes of the anomalies. Visual inspection, hydrostatic pressure test, thermography, high-tech pipe cameras, infrared cameras, leak noise correlators and leak loggers are techniques used for diagnosing anomalies. Reactive, preventive, predictive and reliability-centred maintenance strategies are identified to control or prevent anomalies.Originality/valueThe findings of this research can be used as a useful tool or guideline for contractors, plumbers, facilities managers and building surveyors to identify and rectify plumbing system-related defects in residential buildings.

Change Characteristics of the Advance Stress and Strata Fracture Structure of Spatial Isolated Island Formed by Roof Drainage

Large-energy microseismic events, coal bursts, and other abnormal mine stress are often observed in spatial isolated island areas in the roof water-rich gob-side working face during mining operations. In view of this problem, numerical simulation and on-site microseismic monitoring are employed to study the advance abutment stress and strata fracture structure in the spatial island area formed by ‘roof drainage + goaf’ during mining and the method of eliminating the spatial island area. The results show that the lateral stress is distributed in a step-like pattern, and the drainage area and goaf are superimposed to form a high-stress space island area before the mining of the working face along the goaf. The distribution pattern of the advance abutment stress in the spatial island area changes from ‘C’ type to ‘S’ type during the mining process. The strata structure of the roof water-rich gob-side working face is either a single-peak arch or double-peak arch, and the arch peak corresponds to the boundary of the drainage area. The method of local hydraulic fracturing can eliminate the influence of spatial island areas and improve the safety of roof water-rich gob-side working face mining.

Analysis of Siphonic Roof Drainage Systems with EPANET

Analysis and design of siphonic roof drainage systems are usually performed with specific software developed by the system’s manufacturers. An experimental study was carried out to verify if a general software for the analysis of hydraulic pressurized pipe networks can be used to analyze a siphonic roof drainage system. A test model was built and tests were conducted to compare the prototype results with simulation runs in EPANET. A new EPANET data model was developed to overcome software limitations for the siphonic drainage systems analysis. Considering the results, less than 5% of average error was observed between the measures in the real test model and the simulation results, which can be attributed to measurement error. To validate the EPANET data model, it was compared with a specific software that analyzes siphonic roof drainage systems. It can be concluded that EPANET is a software that can be used to analyze and, therefore, to design, siphonic roof drainage systems in buildings.

A Study on Disasters Induced by Head-On Ejection in High-Speed Driving under the Influence of Roof Drainage

During the gob-side entry driving of the Jurassic coal seam in Western China, ejection disasters occur under the influence of roof drainage, which rarely appear in the eastern mining area. To address this problem, a method combining theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and field monitoring was used to study the disaster induced by head-on ejection during speedy driving under the influence of roof drainage in the context of gob-side entry driving of the 2202 auxiliary haulage roadway in a mine. A calculation model for the critical energy conditions for disasters induced by head-on ejection was established. The relationships between the driving velocity and the dynamic and static loads on the driving face and the disasters induced by ejection were clarified under the influence of roof drainage. The results indicate that the energy threshold for ejection-induced disaster is 12.23 kJ, and the elastic energy of the driving face induced only by static load fails to reach the energy threshold. When the driving velocity exceeds 5 m/d, microseismic activity in front of the driving face increases in a stepwise manner, and the influence of dynamic load intensifies. The superposition of accumulated elastic energy induced by static load and the energy transmitted by microearthquake to the driving face exceeds the energy threshold, resulting in the risk of ejection-induced disaster. Based on this, measures such as microseismic monitoring in front of the driving face, advanced pulverized coal monitoring, driving speed adjustment, and advanced pressure relief of large-diameter boreholes are adopted to ensure safe driving.

Water permeability, water retention capacity, and thermal resistance of green roof layers made with recycled and artificial aggregates

Substituting natural aggregates in the green roof substrate and drainage layers with lightweight artificial and recycled coarse materials is an eco-friendly alternative for applying lower load to the rooftops and preserving natural resources. However, a lack of precise understanding of the thermal resistance, water passing ability, and water holding capacity of green roof materials, including recycled and artificial materials, has raised a demand for measuring their Rc-value, water permeability, and water retention capacity as three main indicators for green roof systems. This study comparatively evaluated the thermal resistance, water permeability, and water retention capacity of green roofs with substrate and drainage layers, including coarse recycled and artificial materials. Different kinds of coarse granular aggregates were separately used for the drainage layer, including Natural Coarse Aggregate (NCA), Recycled Coarse Aggregate (RCA), Incinerated Municipal Solid Waste Aggregate (IMSWA), and Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate (LECA). The substrate layers were made with coarse recycled materials (SC) and without coarse recycled materials (SP) in wet and dry states. The outcomes revealed the highest thermal resistance and the lowest weight were obtained for 20-cm green roofs with a 15-cm substrate layer and 5-cm drainage layer of LECA. The water permeability of NCA was obtained 1.5 times more than that of LECA, whereas there was no significant difference between the result of the former, RCA, and IMSWA. The water retention capacity of the LECA was two times higher than that of the NCA. SC and SP satisfied the water passing and retention criteria given for green roofs.

Recycled agricultural plastic waste as green roof drainage layer within the perspective of ecological transition for the built environment

Although green roofs are considered among the most sustainable building envelopes, an expanding tendency is the use of recycled or reused materials and low-cost products to improve their environmental and economic sustainability. This article evaluated the use of polyethylene granules, derived from the recycling of agricultural plastic waste coming from greenhouse covering, as drainage layer in green roofs. To this end, the physical properties (i.e. particle size, specific weight, minimum and maximum density and permeability) of five different recycled plastic granules were determined. Moreover, the thermal conductivity of one of these recycled products was assessed through a customized testing methodology varying the water content. Thermal conductivity measurements were conducted by using two pieces of equipment to cross-referencing the measurements. The same surveys were carried out on other granular drainage materials (i.e. perlite, expanded clay) to validate the proposed methodology as well as to compare the thermal performance of the examined materials. The results of the thermo-physical tests showed that the recycled plastic granules have features within the range requested for green roof drainage layer, very similar to those of perlite and, therefore, they may be used as an alternative to natural drainage materials. In addition, recycled polyethylene had mechanical and environmental performances better than commercial products, indeed it has the lowest weight increase in saturated conditions, about 80 kg/m3, so reducing the extra load applied on existing building rooftops, as well it produces very low Global Warming Potential (GWP) impact, that is 2–4 kgCO2eq/FU. These outcomes could have wide dissemination considering that Europe is one of the major consumers of agricultural plastic products and their reuse/recycling comply with the ecological transition objectives.

Nitrogen transport and sources in urban stormwater with different rainfall characteristics.

Nitrogen pollution in urban stormwater has led to serious quality issues in urban water. Nitrogen pollution mitigation requires fully understanding the transport process and major nitrogen sources in urban stormwater. In this study, the concentrations and flux of various nitrogen forms during urban stormwater transport were analyzed. It was found that the concentration and flux of NO3--N and NH3-N decreased in the order of roof runoff, road runoff, and drainage runoff, while the concentration and flux of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and particulate nitrogen (PN) were found to be the highest in road runoff. Source quantification found that roof runoff (34%) and rainwater (34%) were the main contributors to nitrate pollution during light and moderate rains (<25 mm), while road runoff was identified as the major source (49%) of nitrate pollution during heavy rains (>25 mm) due to the large road runoff volume. Regarding particulate organic nitrogen (PON), the road runoff in commercial areas contributed most (23%) to PON pollution during light and moderate rains, while the runoff generated from pervious surfaces and drainage sediments were the primary two sources (22%) of PON during heavy rains. Moreover, the influence of rainfall characteristics on nitrate and PON source contributions was identified. The results show that antecedent dry periods were an important factor influencing nitrogen source contributions during light and moderate rains, while rainfall amount and intensity were critical factors impacting the nitrogen source contributions during heavy rains. Taking various transport processes, source contributions, and rainfall characteristics into consideration, several recommendations were given for the mitigation of nitrogen pollution in urban stormwater. This study can provide a useful perspective to understand the transport and sources of nitrogen, thus developing constructive strategies to control urban nonpoint source pollution management.

Head-On Dynamic Manifestations in the Roadway Driving with Small Coal Pillar under the Influence of Roof Drainage: A Case Study from Uxin Banner

In the Uxin Banner area of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, mines that have experienced rock bursts have all been affected by the presence of confined water in the roof strata. Strong mine pressure appears in the working face with about 30 m wide coal pillar in this area, and the research and practice of prevention and control of rock burst by small coal pillar are carried out. Mining-related events linked to the preservation of small coal pillars in the 2-2 coal seam of this region, and studies of the phenomenon, have shown that head-on rock bursts occur during gob-side roadway driving at the edge of the drained area, making it necessary to identify the sources of pressure triggering the events, to determine the related threshold criteria, and to identify methods to reduce the occurrence and magnitude of the rock burst events. This study used the gob-side entry driving in the drained area of the 2202 auxiliary haulage roadway of a mine as a case study. The paper built a structural and computational model for overburdens (including the drained stratum) before mining disturbance, based on the theory for a continuously distributed Winkler elastic foundation. The models used and developed in our study were used to identify, quantify, and describe the changes to stress and the transfer of stress during the drainage process. On the basis of the effects of drainage stress induced by the gob-side entry driving, we outlined a method for ranking the level of rock burst hazard associated with the areas in and adjacent to the drained area. The level of rock burst hazard associated with the entry driving could be arranged in descending order as follows: parallel boundary &gt; vertical boundary &gt; undrained area &gt; drained area. Stress threshold criteria for head-on ejection were also proposed in the paper, namely, (1) the occurrence (or not) of coal ejection during loading and (2) the critical stress for the occurrence of ejection. Field monitoring indicated that microseismic events and energy are mainly concentrated in the driving region parallel to the boundary of the drained area. We concluded that head-on large-diameter borehole destressing would effectively reduce the likelihood of a rock burst occurrence.

A Multifactor Quantitative Assessment Model for Safe Mining after Roof Drainage in the Liangshuijing Coal Mine.

To prevent coal mine roof water damage, the water generally needs to be evacuated in advance. It can be mined with the water inrush risk assessed as safe. However, a single index is often employed in the water safety evaluation after the roof drainage, which causes a large gap between the evaluation results and the actual situation. Therefore, the evaluation cannot be effectively used to guide the safety mining in the working face. In this paper, based on the hydrogeological data of the Liangshuijing coal mine, a multifactor water inrush risk assessment model (IAHP-EWM) and multifactor index system are established for assessing the water inrush risk before and after the roof drainage. The improved AHP method and the entropy weight method are adopted in the model to determine the index weight. This combined way avoids the excessive subjectivity and objectivity of the index weight. A″ Fold undulation degree (Fud)″ is innovatively proposed to quantify the impact of the spatial relief of folds on water inrush in the multifactor index system. The IAHP-EWM model is applied to evaluate the risk of roof water inrush in the 42205 working face of the Liangshuijing coal mine. The evaluation results show that the water inrush risk is ″high″ when the water is not dredged, and the water inrush risk is ″low″ after the water is dredged, which are consistent with the actual water inflow data and evaluation results, which verifies the accuracy of the model. The application results of the IAHP-EWM model in the 42202, 42203, and 42204 working faces verify its universal applicability in the Liangshuijing mining area. It can provide a reference for the evaluation of the roof water damage control effect during coal seam mining.

Green Roofs- A Review

As the green area continues to get replaced because of the increase in population and urbanization, the requirement to recover this area has become crucial for improving environmental quality. Installation of green roofs is one way that can curb the negative affect of growth and establishment while providing various environmental and economical benefits. Various names are given to green roofs such as “eco-roofs”, “roof-gardens”, etc. And these are roofs with vegetation at the top surface. The most specific reason for installing green roofs in the building is because of its energy efficiency. Along with this, other benefits do exist like their vegetation aids photosynthesis and their soil layer absorbs rainfall, typically leading to development in water runoff quality. This review paper focuses on green roofs along with research efforts created by researchers. The discussion concentrates on each part of the green roof elements, i.e., vegetation, growth substrate, filter layer, drainage layer, waterproofing layer, and root barrier. This paper also includes experimental studies on the assortment of efficient green roof elements to satisfy public expectations. Moreover, the advantages provided by green roofs are highlighted.

Quality of rainwater drained by a green roof in the metropolitan region of Recife, Brazil

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential non-potable uses that can be given to the water flowing from a green roof through the characterization of its quality using the parameters and reference values contained in the Brazilian Standard ABNT NBR 15527:2007. The research was carried out in the Garage Building of the Charles Darwin Business, for a period of five months. Fifteen samples were collected from three collection points (rainwater, irrigation, and drainage from the green roof) and evaluated. For the qualitative characterization of the waters, the physicochemical parameters hydrogen potential (pH), turbidity (TBD), apparent color (AC), free residual chlorine (FRC) and electrical conductivity (EC), in addition to the microbiological parameters total coliforms, Escherichia coli and number of heterotrophic bacteria (HB), were determined. Data were subjected to descriptive and multivariate statistical analysis. The results obtained show that the green roof contributed to the reduction of rainwater pH. The green roof drainage water had higher levels of AC and TBD due to the concentrations of suspended particles, which acted as a source of EC. The FRC values complied with the legislation in all treatments. Likewise, the microbiological parameters partially complied with the standards established by the legislation. Cluster analysis formed two distinct groups, G1 comprising HB and TBD, and G2 containing the variables pH, AC, EC, and FRC. Although the quality of the drainage water does not meet all the standards required by law, this water has the potential for reuse for non-potable purposes.

A preliminary Study on The Use of PET Bottle Waste as The Green Roof Drainage Layer for Thermal Insulator

The phenomenon of urban heat island (UHI) and global warming are significant issues now in relation to sustainable urban development. The application of green roofs is an intention to weaken the impact of UHI by reducing heat gain on the building surface that is emitted to the environment. In addition, green roofs also reduce heat transmission from solar radiation received by the roof to the indoor. Utilization of plastic bottle waste from PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) will cut down the weight of the green roof system, which also develops the heat resistance value of the roof. This research is an initial study that suggests a green roof application that is more environmentally friendly with the principle of reusing PET waste as a sustainable building material to increase thermal resistant of the system. The analysis concentrates on describing the thermal behavior of the green roof system with the inclusion of PET bottles as a drainage layer. The investigation was carried out by preparing a cubical model of 60cm x 60 cm x 60 cm with a green roof system. Thermal performances were assessed by measuring the temperature of each layer of the green roof using thermocouple wire. The environmental variables measured were solar intensity, ambient air temperature, and air humidity, where the sensors placed close to the models. This analysis demonstrates the influences of green roofs in reducing solar radiation heat. Even though the decreasing of room temperature between the models was not significantly different, this initial results show that, by introducing PET, still display a further performance in reducing heat gain from solar radiation. However, it is necessary to adjust the evaluation models. Heat accumulation in room raised the indoor temperature to be higher than the roof temperature, so that the behavior of the green roof with the purpose of PET is not obviously distinguishable. A trial model with ventilation opening will release heat from enclosed space and it could evaluate clearly the rate of heat flow from the roof.

The Țigani Community Adaptability to Changes in Rural Romania and the COVID-19 Impact.

Romanian rural villages are struggling to survive present times when youngsters leave for a better life in the city while elders work the land like a hundred years ago. Our paper integrates human environments research with public health preparedness, presenting the Țigani (Gypsy/Roma) ethnic group from rural Romania as an example to the world. The future security of mankind will require a new understanding of the human place in its environment. That will lead to a new society, not the most powerful or intelligent, but the one that is more adaptable to changes, with sensitive and interconnected community members. Therefore, the Țigani ethnic group that fought for its rights and flourished despite unfavorable odds, including the recent COVID-19 pandemic, represents the best example for a new world that prioritizes humans, promotes health and wellbeing, facilitating innovation and transformative networks environmental integration. This research attempts to quantify the Țigani′s unique attributes that helped their communities survive and made them more adaptive to change. Always marginalized, they identified the other ethnic groups’ weaknesses to penetrate the villages and learned to use the smartphone apps to communicate, for their trades, coppersmith, metal roof tiles and drainage systems. Our research was based on Geographical Information System, Microsoft Power Bi analytics data visualization tools and statistical analysis with SPSS V20 to demonstrate what enables their flourishing and what resistance they face locally. We argue that the Țigani′s intense social cooperation, strong sense of family, community and mutual assistance helped them to fight COVID-19, generating their significant adaptability to the societal changes and their power to keep intact their cultural identity. The results show how the constant growing Țigani population changed and may change Romania′s rural environments in the future.

Transport and sources of nitrogen in stormwater runoff at the urban catchment scale

Revealing the transport and sources of nitrate in urban stormwater runoff can effectively manage nitrate pollution in urban areas. This study used the chemical properties of stormwater along with δ15N-NO3− and δ18O-NO3− isotopes to identify the transport and sources of nitrate within an urban catchment. The results showed that the NO3-N concentration and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) composition differed among roof runoff, road runoff, and drainage runoff. The highest NO3−N concentration was found in roof runoff and NH3-N dominated the TDN composition. However, the erosion of pervious surfaces and litter may have led to higher DON/TDN values in road runoff. The TDN composition of drainage runoff was consistent with that of roof runoff. Furthermore, among the various rainfall characteristics, the depth and intensity of rainfall were significantly correlated with the NO3-N concentrations in roof runoff and road runoff, while antecedent dry days had little effect. According to a Bayesian mixing model, the average contributions of the nitrate load in drainage runoff were ranked as road runoff (51.6%) > rainwater (29.2%) > and roof runoff (15%), which is consistent with the results of previous studies. Rainwater nitrate may have ranked second due to the confluence time, pollution level, and other factors that made rainwater reduce the pollution characteristics of roof runoff. The dominant contribution of road runoff to the NO3−N concentration of drainage runoff could be attributed to the large runoff volume. Hence, effective measures should be taken to minimize the NO3-N concentration in roof runoff, while runoff volume reduction should be the primary concern for controlling road runoff pollution. This work is helpful for obtaining a better understanding of the transport and sources of nitrate that vary dynamically within different hydrological flow pathways, and the outcomes are expected to enhance targeted measures to mitigate nitrate pollution in urban water systems.

Study of Roof Tiles in Lingnan Traditional Buildings and Roof Drainage Technologies

Lingnan building is a key part of Chinese classical architectural schools, and the preservation & repair technologies of Lingnan traditional building roofs, which can embody Lingnan characteristics most, are especially important. The roof tiles of Lingnan traditional buildings and roof drainage technologies were taken as the main study objects. Under the background of Lingnan environmental features, effective roof repair technologies were summarized by combining the roof tile forms and texture types, analyzing the relationship between roof tiling form and roof drainage, and supplementing the traditional tile fabrication technologies, etc., expecting to provide a pragmatic reference for the roof repair of Lingnan ancient buildings.

Analysis of Deformation Damage in Deep Well Roadway and Supporting Countermeasures

The roadway with a depth of 760 m in Menkeqing coal mine is located in a complex rock formation, with mudstone containing gangue, serious roof drainage, developed fractures, and surrounding rock softening under water. In addition, affected by mining, the original support of return air roadway in 2201 workface has been difficult to be effective. In this study, FLAC3D was used for analysis of the process and mechanism of roadway deformation. Based on the analysis and combined with the research on deep roadway support theory research, it is determined that the numerical simulation of the joint support form of the bottom angle of the roadway is effectively controlled by using the 45° bottom corner bolt to control the heaving floor of the roadway. In other words, the surrounding rock grouting + anchor cable spraying + bottom corner bolt, and not only the heaving floor of the roadway has been effectively controlled, but also the coal rib and the roof support also have a more obvious prominent effect. According to the design and construction, the roadway maintenance condition is good after the field observation, which indicates that the design parameters are reasonable and can meet the requirements of roadway use, which can provide reference for roadway support under similar conditions.

Novel application and reused materials for extensive green roof substrates and drainage layers in Japan – Plant growth and moisture uptake implementation –

This study investigates the potential utility of reused materials as an alternative material for commercial substrate and drainage layers. The performances of reused materials were assessed using turf with trays on a roof for two years in Chiba, Japan. Two types of materials, a commercial green roof substrate and cocopeat, were used as the substrate. For the drainage layers, five different materials were used: a commercial green roof drainage layer, bamboo stems and nodes, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle caps and bottoms. In addition, a sample without any drainage layer was used. The trays were prepared with the combination of these two substrates and six drainage applications. Overall, reused materials were observed to function well as commercial green roof materials. The turf in cocopeat was able to survive better than turf in commercial green roof substrate. In the drainage layers, some reused materials, such as the PET bottle caps and bamboo nodes, showed higher final plant coverage than commercial drainage layers in cocopeat. Our study has addressed the importance of realizing the original substrate and drainage layer using reused materials for developing sustainable and inexpensive green roofs.

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

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.