ABSTRACT
In the last decades, ceramic claddings have shown a high incidence of defects. Therefore, it seems relevant to evaluate the durability and the service life of this type of claddings, according to their age and the durability factors that can explain their loss of performance. This study compares two different approaches for the application of the factor method for the service life prediction: a deterministic and a probabilistic approach. In the deterministic approach, the factor method is applied as described in the standard ISO 15686: 2011 to the service life prediction of 186 ceramic claddings. In the stochastic approach, a probability distribution is adjusted to each durability factor, allowing the estimated service life to be given by a probability distribution as well. The applicability of both methodologies is discussed and validated using examples of real case studies. This study reveals that both models lead to consistent and reliable results.
