Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

the Roof Construction Manual is a comprehensive reference work on the construction of pitched roofs, containing over 1800 plans and 220 photographs. Thirteen fundamental roof types and the relevant materials including thatch, wood, slate, tile, concrete, fibrous cement, bitumen, glass, metal, membranes, and synthetic materials are documented in detail. Essential topics such as ventilation, vapour and wind seals, insulation and drainage, renovation and energy conservation are examined. As with all the Construction Manuals, some 38 built examples illustrate the theoretical details, paying particular attention to important features such as the ridge, hip, eaves, roof valley, verge, and penetration. A compact presentation of the load-bearing physics and structures as well as current norms and standards make this volume an indispensable standard work for all architects and engineers.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Part 1 Pitched roofs--past and present
• A status report (p. 10)
• Roofing materials and techniques in the 19th century (p. 11)
• Changes in building science (p. 11)
• Iron, glass, concrete--the new building Materials (p. 12)
• Roofing techniques and roofing materials (p. 12)
• New criteria (p. 15)
• Further developments in the 20th century (p. 17)
• Economy (p. 17)
• Ecology (p. 19)
• Building science (p. 21)
• The building industry and new building materials (p. 21)
• Forms of roofing and materials (p. 22)
• Use and form (p. 30)
• Using the roof surface (p. 32)
• Roof forms (p. 33)
• The parts of the roof (p. 34)
• Roof form and use (p. 37)
• Roof form and building (p. 38)
• Roof form and environment (p. 39)
• Part 2 Fundamentals
• Loadbearing structure
• Actions (p. 45)
• Dead loads (p. 46)
• Imposed loads (p. 46)
• Wind loads (p. 48)
• Snow loads (p. 50)
• Bracing (p. 52)
• From roof covering to loadbearing structure (p. 54)
• Overlapping elements on battens (p. 56)
• Timber roof decking (p. 57)
• Roof decking as roof plate (p. 58)
• Trapezoidal profile sheeting (p. 59)
• Steel trapezoidal profile sheeting as roof plate (p. 60)
• Solid timber panels (p. 61)
• Timber panels (p. 61)
• Aerated concrete planks (p. 61)
• Sandwich panels (p. 61)
• Glass (p. 61)
• Timber pitched roofs (p. 62)
• Close couple and collar roofs (p. 62)
• Purlin roof (p. 62)
• Bracing the timber pitched roof (p. 64)
• Historical roof structures (p. 65)
• Loadbearing structures for pitched roofs (p. 66)
• Flat roof surfaces (p. 67)
• Roof surfaces in single curvature (p. 68)
• Roof surfaces in double curvature (p. 69)
• Building science
• Thermal performance (p. 71)
• Basic terminology (definitions, symbols, parameters) (p. 71)
• Mechanisms of heat transmission (p. 71)
• Heat transmission through components (p. 73)
• Thermal insulation (p. 75)
• Thermal bridges (p. 76)
• Airtightness (p. 76)
• Requirements for thermal performance (p. 77)
• Energy-saving thermal insulation--Energy Economy Act (p. 78)
• Climate-related moisture control (p. 82)
• Basic terminology (definitions, symbols, parameters) (p. 82)
• Moisture and moisture transport (p. 82)
• Condensation and evaporation within the component cross-section (p. 84)
• Moisture control layers (p. 85)
• Roof ventilation--openness to diffusion (p. 86)
• Requirements for moisture control (p. 88)
• Sound insulation (p. 90)
• Basic terminology (definitions, symbols, parameters) (p. 90)
• Sound transmission (p. 90)
• Sound attenuation (p. 91)
• Airborne sound insulation (p. 92)
• Sound insulation for pitched roofs (p. 93)
• Fire protection, corrosion protection (p. 95)
• Design
• Usage and requirements (p. 97)
• Ventilated--non-ventilated (p. 97)
• Prefabrication (p. 100)
• The modular roof (p. 102)
• Layers and materials
• Covering and sealing (p. 105)
• Forms of roof covering and materials (p. 106)
• Thatch (p. 108)
• Reed and straw (p. 108)
• Flat overlapping elements (p. 111)
• Wood (p. 111)
• Natural and fibre-cement slates (p. 119)
• Bitumen (p. 132)
• Clay and concrete (p. 137)
• Profiled overlapping elements (p. 149)
• Clay and concrete (p. 149)
• Flat sheets (p. 158)
• Glass (p. 158)
• Profiled sheets (p. 173)
• Fibre-cement (p. 173)
• Bitumen (p. 181)
• Metal (p. 184)
• Sheets (p. 190)
• Metal (p. 190)
• Flexible sheeting (p. 205)
• Green roof (p. 205)
• Membranes (p. 218)
• Energy production (p. 228)
• Ventilation (p. 232)
• Secondary waterproofing/covering layer (p. 239)
• Vapour barrier and airtight membrane (p. 243)
• Thermal insulation (p. 246)
• Drainage (p. 250)
• Part 3 Construction details
• Construction details (p. 256)
• Thatch (p. 258)
• Reed and straw (p. 258)
• Flat overlapping elements (p. 260)
• Wood (p. 260)
• Natural and fibre-cement slates (p. 264)
• Bitumen (p. 270)
• Clay and concrete (p. 274)
• Profiled overlapping elements (p. 284)
• Clay and concrete (p. 284)
• Roof covering over open roof space (p. 284)
• Roof covering with roofing felt underneath (p. 286)
• Roof covering with secondary waterproofing layer underneath (p. 292)
• Flat sheets (p. 298)
• Glass (p. 298)
• Profiled sheets (p. 302)
• Fibre-cement (p. 302)
• Metal (p. 312)
• Sheets (p. 316)
• Metal (p. 316)
• Flexible sheeting (p. 322)
• Green roof (p. 322)
• Refurbishment (p. 327)
• Part 4 Built examples in detail
• Built examples (p. 336)
• Thatch (p. 338)
• Reed (p. 338)
• Flat overlapping elements (p. 340)
• Wood (p. 340)
• Natural slate (p. 344)
• Fibre-cement (p. 346)
• Bitumen (p. 348)
• Clay (p. 350)
• Concrete (p. 352)
• Profiled overlapping elements (p. 360)
• Clay (p. 360)
• Flat sheets (p. 366)
• Stone (p. 366)
• Wood (p. 368)
• Glass (p. 372)
• Plastic (p. 386)
• Profiled sheets (p. 388)
• Fibre-cement (p. 388)
• Metal (p. 390)
• Plastic (p. 400)
• Ceramic (p. 402)
• Flexible sheeting (p. 405)
• Metal (p. 405)
• Bitumen (p. 412)
• Plastic (p. 414)
• Green roof (p. 419)
• Membranes (p. 422)
• Textile (p. 422)
• Coated textile (p. 428)
• Plastic (p. 433)
• Appendix
• Legend (p. 438)
• References (p. 439)
• Index of architects and engineers (p. 439)
• Index and glossary (p. 440)
• Picture credits (p. 448)