ROOF TRUSSES - LOADS

by
CHAITANYA SRIKRISHNA T
CED, SNIST
Introduction
• A framework composed of members joined at their ends to form
a rigid structure to support load is called a truss.
• Trusses are used in a broad range of buildings, mainly where
there is a requirement for very long spans, such as in airport
terminals, aircraft hangers, sports stadia roofs, auditoriums and
other leisure buildings.
• Trusses can be mainly divided into two types:
Roof Trusses
Bridge Trusses
Types of Roof Trusses
1. King Post Truss 6. North Light Roof Truss
2. Queen Post Truss 7. Quadrangular Roof Trusses
3. Howe Truss 8. Parallel Chord Roof Truss
4. Pratt Truss 9. Scissor Roof Truss
5. Fan Truss 10. Raised Heel Roof Truss
Types of Bridge Trusses
1. Howe Truss
2. Pratt Truss
3. K - Truss
4. Warren Truss
5. Bailey Truss
6. Bowstring Truss
• Roof trusses become necessary when sloping roofs are to be
provided.
• At places of heavy rainfall or heavy snowfall sloping roofs are
necessary which have to be supported by roof trusses.
• Generally sloping roofs are provided for single storey buildings,
workshops, warehouses, industrial buildings etc.
• Truss is provided for a building which does not have interior
supports and the exterior walls are more than 12 m apart.
Components of Roof Truss
• Upper chord members.
The upper most line of members which extend from one support
to the other through the apex is called the upper chord.
• Bottom chord members.
The bottom chord consists of the lowermost line of members
extending from one support to the other.
• Web members.
The top and the bottom chord members are connected by vertical
or diagonal members called web members.
• In trusses simply supported at ends, the top chord members are subjected
to compression and the bottom chord members are subjected to tension.
• But in cantilever trusses, the top chord members will be in tension and
the bottom chord members will be in compression.
• Usually in simply supported trusses, for the normal loadings, the top and
bottom chord members near the support carry greater forces.
• The distance between the supporting end joints of a truss is called span.
• The rise of the truss is the vertical distance between the apex and the line
joining the supports.
• The ratio of the rise to the span is called the pitch.
• When the rise is not more than 1 vertical to 6 horizontal the roof is called a
flat roof. If the rise exceeds the above limit then it is called a pitched roof.
• As far as possible steep pitches are to be avoided since they will have to
resist greater wind pressure.
• The joints at which the web members are connected to the chords are
called panel points.
• The joint at the support is called the heel joint while the joint at the ridge
is called the peak joint.
 •The member spanning from
truss to truss which is meant to
carry the load of the roofing
material is called as Purlin.

•Purlins transfer the

load from roofing
material to the
adjoining Rafters.
 Girt

• The portion of the roof contained between successive trusses is

called a bay (highlighted portion).
LOADS ON ROOF TRUSSES

• Dead Load

• Live Load

• Snow Load

• Wind Load

• Earth quake Load

DEAD LOAD
• These consist of weights of trusses, roof coverings, purlins and bracings.
• Weight of Roof Covering

• Purlins
• Spacing of trusses
• Pitch of Trusses
• Slope for roof is necessary to drain off rain water falling on the roof.
• When G.I. sheets are used the pitch may be 1/6 of the span.
• When A.C. sheets are provided the pitch may be 1/10 to 1/12 of the span.
• Where snow loads and wind loads exist, a pitch of 1/4 is found good.
• In regions where snowfall is absent, a pitch of 1/6 is reasonable.
• In trusses of low pitch there is the advantage of reduced wind pressure.

• Lateral bracings
LIVE LOADS
The live load shall be taken as follows:
• When access is provided – 1.5 kN/m2
• When access is not provided – 0.75 kN/m2 (except for maintenance)
Sloping roof with slope greater than 10 degrees.
• The live load to be taken in this case is 0.75 kN/m2 less 0.02 kN/m2 for
every degree increase in slope over 10 degrees.
Note:
• The live load shall not be taken less than 400 N/m2.
SNOW LOAD
• If a roof is subjected to snow load it should be designed for the
actual loads due to snow or for the live loads specified before,
whichever is more severe.
• Actual load due to snow will depend upon the shape of the roof
and its capacity to retain the snow .
• In the absence of any specific information, the loading due to
the collection of snow may be assumed to be 2.5 N/m2 per mm
depth of snow.
WIND LOAD
• Winds are caused due to radiation effect of earth and the wind speeds will
vary at any place.
• Wind pressure depends on presence of near by obstruction to air flow, the
geographical location of the building & characteristics of the building itself.
• The wind speed is practically zero at ground level and increases to a
maximum value at a height called the gradient height.
• Wind speed does not remain constant at any height and so an average value
with a fluctuating component is used in the design. The fluctuating
component is called gust.
• Design wind speed up to 10 m height from mean ground level shall be
considered constant.
• The design wind speed VZ is given by-
• VZ = Vb k1 k2 k3
where,
VZ = Design wind speed at any height Z, in m/s, k1 = Probability factor
(risk co-efficient), k2 = Terrain, height and structure height factor, k3 =
Topography factor.
• The design wind pressure at any height is given by
PZ =0.6 * VZ2
Load Combinations
• Dead load alone.

• Dead load + partial or full live load.

• Dead load + wind or seismic loads.

• Dead load + live load + wind or seismic loads.

• Dead loads + live load + wind or seismic load + erection loads.

NUMERICALS