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Long-Term Durability of Asphalt Shingle Roof Covers: Laboratory Degradation Characteristics

Published

Author(s)

Karim Abdelwahab, Tanya Brown-Giammanco, Li Piin Sung

Abstract

Asphalt shingles are the most common steep-slope roofing material used in the United States, due to their ease of installation and cost effectiveness. When installed according to the manufacturer's recommendations, new shingles prevent bulk water intrusion into the underlying components of the roof assembly and building enclosure by shedding water off the roof. During their service life, asphalt shingles may be subjected to various weather conditions such as extreme heat, thermal cycling, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and freeze-thaw events, in addition to direct mechanical loads such as wind-induced uplift forces, and impact forces due to hailstones that may occur during thunderstorms. Published literature indicates that the ability of asphalt shingles to withstand direct mechanical loads may be compromised after these weathering exposures, therefore emphasizing the importance of assessing the effects of these conditions on asphalt shingles. This publication presents the laboratory observations of asphalt shingle roof coverings when subjected to UV radiation and varying combinations of temperature and relative humidity. Characteristics such as discoloration, changes to the mechanical properties, and chemical changes to the adhesive strip are discussed, in addition to the tests and spectroscopy tools available to quantify the changes due to accelerated laboratory weathering.
Conference Dates
July 20-24, 2026
Conference Location
Montreal, CA
Conference Title
The 17th International Conference on Durability of Building Materials and Components

Keywords

Asphalt Shingles, Roof Cover, Laboratory Weathering, Roofing

Citation

Abdelwahab, K. , Brown-Giammanco, T. and Sung, L. (2026), Long-Term Durability of Asphalt Shingle Roof Covers: Laboratory Degradation Characteristics, The 17th International Conference on Durability of Building Materials and Components, Montreal, CA, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=961384 (Accessed July 24, 2026)
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Issues

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Created July 21, 2026, Updated July 23, 2026
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