ABSTRACT
Abstract The problem of determining the net forces on tiles and slates in domestic housing has never been resolved in a completely rigorous way, despite considerable safety risks and economic losses per annum due to tile and slate loss during stormy conditions. Instead, empirical rules have been introduced in normative documents [20] and guides of 'good practice' [4,5,6] aimed towards craftsmen. The most particular aspect with respect to the load on the elements resides in the fact that they are not only subject to the external pressure, but also to the internal pressure that builds up just underneath. The internal air pressure depends, among other aspects, on the geometry of the joints between the distinct elements, the global geometry of the roof, the boundary conditions at ridges and roof top, etc. An extra complication is introduced in that the external pressure on the roof is locally altered by the external shape of the elements. The Belgian Building Research Institute (BBRI), together with the Von Karman Institute (VKI) in Brussels, has initiated a research programme on this subject and this paper describes the scope of the research together with the set-up of the experimental and numerical work and some preliminary results. Keywords: Full-scale experiments, numerical modelling, peak forces, roof tiles, wind loading, wind-tunnel tests.
