Wind loading and resistance of loose-laid roof paver systems

This paper discusses wind loading on and wind resistance of generic roofing systems consisting of loose-laid pavers on a flat roof of a low-rise building. It is found that the space between pavers improves the wind resistance of the system. It reduces the paver net wind uplift and leads to an increase in the failure wind speed. The space beneath the pavers weakens the system performance. The between paver-to-underneath paver space ratio controls pressure underneath the pavers. The higher the ratio and the larger the pavers, the higher the wind resistance of the system. Square pavers are found to be more wind resistant than rectangular pavers.