A Belgian research program to determine the net forces on roof tiles

The problem of determining the net forces on tiles and slates in domestic housing has never been resolved in a completely rigorous way. Instead, empirical rules have been introduced in normative documents (STS 34) and guides of ‘good practice’ (BBRI) towards craftsmen. This problem is to some extent similar to the façade or flat roof cladding problem, which has been investigated in the past (see references). An extra complication is introduced in the study of tiles and slates in that the external pressure over the roof is locally altered by the external shape of the elements. The Belgian Building Research Institute (BBRI), together with the Von Kàrmàn Institute (VKJ) in Brussels, has initiated a research program on this subject. This paper describes the scope of the research together with the set-up of the experimental and numerical work and some preliminary results.