Flat Roof Wind Uplift

The present study demonstrates the pressure variations due to wind load on the pyramidal roof of a square plan low rise building with 15 wall openings through cfd computational fluid dynamics simulation.

Flat roof wind uplift.

This exerts a significant amount up pressure against the structure and pushes air upwards. What we are seeing here is a fairly extreme case of wind up lift on a flat roof which will cause significant damage to the membrane. The video below was posted on linkedin recently by a technician for roofing contractor in the us. Roof shape and slope are both important parameters for the safety of a structure especially when facing wind loads.

Before we can answer the question however we must first define wind uplift. When opting for a polymeric single ply membrane roofing solution one of the key documents is the wind uplift calculation and not just for mechanically fastened roofs they can be just as important for adhered roofs when in certain locations or possibly with a higher risk of exposure. When wind hits a roof the edge zone is the most likely part of your roof to be affected by wind uplift. The effects of wind uplift on roofs.

Many studies on roofed structures have been performed in the past. Therefore when installed these corner and perimeter zones need a greater resistance to these effects or air might be able to get underneath the roof covering causing significant damage to your flat roof. Wind load calculations for flat roofs are of paramount. Roof damage caused by wind occurs when the air pressure below the roofing assembly is greater than the air pressure above the building s roof.