FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OWERRI

FACTORS THAT AFFECT ROOFS AND ITS MATERIALS

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

A TERM PAPER BY

NWANKWOR IFENNA VICTOR

DATE
AUGUST 2021

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 ABSTRACT
There are a large number of roofing materials for roofs. All of these materials have
their advantages and disadvantages, so the main questions is the factors that
affects those materials. The article describes the approach to selecting the best
option of roofing material with the factors affecting it based on your area in mind.
From analysis, it was discovered that certain critical factors needs to be considered
before making the final decision on the type of roof covering to used. Quality was
ranked highest with uttermost importance in roof material selection.

TABLE OF CONTENT

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover Page ................................................I
Abstract .....................................................ii
Table of Contents ......................................iii

Chapter one – Introduction

1.1 Objectives of the study
1.2 Methodology
1.3 Roof Types
1.4 Roof Requirement

Chapter two – Research Methodology

2.1 Factors Affecting Roof Types

Chapter three – Data Presentation, Analysis, Results and Discussions

3.1 Results
3.2 Discussions of findings

Chapter four – summary and conclusion

Reference…………………………….iv

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

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1.1 Objectives of study
The objective of this study is to:
1. To identify critical factors that determine the choice of material for roof
covering by home owners.
2. To examine materials available for roof covering in the construction industry.
3. To find out strengths and weaknesses of materials used for roof covering.

Chapter two
Methodology
1.2 Methodology

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The study was be carried-out by first of all critically reviewing existing literature
relatable to factors influencing material selection for roof covering in the
construction industry; Home owners’ perspective. It is important to be abreast with
the field being studied. As such, reviewing preceding studies would aid in the
identification of the previous works done, contributions made, reproaches,
shortcomings, existing outcomes and their applications.

1.3 Roofs Types

PITCHED ROOFS

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A pitched roof is a roof that slopes downwards, typically in two parts at an angle
from a central ridge, but sometimes in one part, from one edge to another. The
‘pitch’ of a roof is its vertical rise divided by its horizontal span and is
a measure of its steepness.

A pitched roof is in contrast to a flat roof which, technically, is any roof with

a slope less than 10°; however, in practice they tend to be much shallower,
commonly being expressed as a gradient and can be anywhere from 1:40 to 1:80.
For more information, see Flat roof. The examples of pitched roof includes

Hip roofs

Gable roofs

Pent roofs etc.

FLAT ROOFS
A flat roof is a roof which is almost level in contrast to the many types of sloped
roofs. The slope of a roof is properly known as its pitch and flat roofs have up to
approximately 10°.[1] Flat roofs are an ancient form mostly used in arid
climates and allow the roof space to be used as a living space or a living roof. Flat
roofs, or "low-slope" roofs, are also commonly found on commercial buildings
throughout the world. The National Roofing Contractors Association defines a
low-slope roof as having a slope of 3 in 12 (1:4) or less.

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CURVED ROOFS
A curved roof is essentially a roof that has a curved shed-style shape. The style is
perfect for those customers that wish to stand out from the crowd. Curved roofs
look great on stables, homes, cottages and even garages.

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1.4 Functional Requirements of Roof Material
A roof covering materials should be able to perform the following functions:
Durability
The durability of the roof material lies heavily on its ability to withstand
atmospheric pollution, frost and other harmful conditions. The more the degree of
exposure, the higher and more durable the form of construction used. The roof
material is usually subjected to temperature changes leading to its subsequent
contraction and expansion, which must be allowed for. For buildings closer to
industrial activities, they are affected by acidic rainwater. The solution to the
problems of rainwater will bother so much on achieving effective flushing off of
water which is possible with the use of sloping roof. An important consideration
here is that the materials used in fixing the covering should have a comparable
quality with the covering material.

Resistance to Moisture
The roof’s main function is to protect the building from the weather. The roof
covering material has to resist the effects of the sun, wind, snow and rain. The sun
causes the expansion of the outer covering of the roof, the wind as previously
analyzed exerts suction pressure tending to pull the covering from its support.
Rain tends to penetrate and soak the fibers of the roof covering materials, and in
the temperate regions, the effect of snow piles on the roof adds to the dead load
and will easily find its way into the roof structure through any weak spot on the
roof covering.
Safety in Fire
The roof covering material may be attacked by fire either from the outside or the
inside of the building. Fire from the inside will attack the framework, and from the
outside, it attacks the covering. The roof covering should be of material that
cannot easily catch fire or spread the fire across. On the other hand, the roof
structure should have sufficient fire resistance to enable people escape the
building before collapse of the roof

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Thermal Insulation
The roof covering should be able to keep the heat in and not permit excessive heat
loss. The roof is the most exposed part of the building, therefore, heat flow
through the roof is a point to be considered in determining the heat loss from the
building. Heat is transferred through a number of methods:
 Through conduction as it flows through the material from the hotter to the
cooler side (external walls).
 Through convection as air circulates around the surface. E.g. a cool wind
blowing across the surface of the heated roof covering material will increase the
loss of heat from the roof material.

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 Chapter two
Research Methodology

Climate/ Weather conditions

Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time as regards
heat, cloudiness, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, while, Climate is the average
weather in a given area over a longer period of time. A description of a climate
includes information on, e.g. the average temperature in different seasons, rainfall,
and sunshine. Also a description of the (chance of) extremes is often included.

The aspects of the climate that most affect the design of the roof system
are amount and type of precipitation, temperature and wind. A building in a
dry climate does not need the same type of roof as a building subjected to
daily rains. Places that have high fees for wastewater removal may want to
consider a vegetated roof to absorb storm water. However, rain isn't the
only consideration. Snow can drift and collect in corners, topping flashings
and leaking in. Hail can puncture roof systems and requires a roof that can
withstand abuse.

Additionally, if there is a large temperature spread between summer and

winter, a roof system that will expand and contract with thermal movement
is a good choice. Climate will affect the amount of insulation needed in the
roof. Predominantly hot areas should consider a reflective roof system to
save on cooling bills. In predominantly cold climates, whether savings are
possible or not depends on a number of factors, including cost of heating
energy compared with cooling, slope of roof, insulation, and building
dimensions. One resource for facility managers to determine whether a roof
will have energy benefits is the Department of Energy's Roof Savings
Calculator.

Heat sinks may also be considered for hot climates to lessen the amount of
thermal shock that can occur when a roof is suddenly cooled during a
rainstorm

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Photograph of the climate of the world for the 25 years- NASA

Availability of material
The availability of material for roofing is paramount to the roofs structure and
finishing .Thoughts about the material must be put in mind when constructing the
roof, the price of the roof is also based on the roof materials availability
Aesthetics
This is also an important issue, which has to be kept in mind when choosing a
roofing material. A nice, aesthetic, attractive roof determines the owner’s
satisfaction and is eye-catching for passers-by. This is possible in so far as it is
made of good, reputable, durable material, in a suitable, carefully selected colour
and harmonizing with the environment in which it is located. In modern times,
when the market offers a large selection of kinds, types and sorts of roofing, it is
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the owner’s sense of aesthetics and beauty as well as their financial resources
that determines what material will be used to cover the roof of their house.

Blending and the Environment

A building should be able to blend in to its environment no matter how it tries to
standout, it must do so with the unity of the design of the environment kept in mind
also. Our choice of roof covering material should not have any adverse effect on
the Environment. This is partly because our decisions today should protect and
preserve the environment for future generations

Chapter Three
Summary and Conclusion
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Summary
The purpose for this research is to determine the various roof covering materials
and the varying factors that affect them in one way or another
Conclusion
In conclusion choice of roof covering material is dependent on a wide range of
factors which are important variables in the decision. The need for professional
consultation when making the choice of roof covering materials is inevitable to
prevent building failures.

REFRENCE

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Atkinson, R. & Flint, J. (2001). Accessing hidden and hard-to-reach populations:
Snowball research strategies. University of Surrey Social Research Update, 33.
Available at [http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/SRU33.html.] Accessed on [25/01/2018].
Baiden, B. K. (2006). Framework for the Integration of the Project Delivery
Team. Unpublished Thesis (PhD), Loughborough University, United Kingdom.\
Belton, V. & Stewart, T. J. (2002). Multi Criteria Decision Analysis - An
integrated Approach. Berg, S. (1988). Snowball sampling. In InKotz, S. & Johnson
N.L. (eds.) Encyclopedia of Statistical Sciences, 8. New York: John Willey. 528-
532.

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