# Service Life Prediction and Life Cycle Costs of Light Weight Partitions
## 1 Introduction  
Partition walls, which are non-load-bearing interior structures, are essential for dividing spaces within a building's interior space. Partitions play a critical role in the overall impact of a building's life cycle. Serving as separate rooms or compartments in residential and commercial settings, these walls enhance space efficiency, privacy, and safety, and are particularly valued for their ability to offer sound insulation and, in certain instances, fire resistance [1]. In recent years, there has been a significant expansion in the use of lightweight partitions in residential construction, as they have numerous advantages over other heavier alternatives, such as hollow concrete blocks or concrete erected on a concrete slab [2, 3]: these benefits include speed of installation, timing in the later stages of the building construction process, lower labor (compared to traditional heavy construction methods), flexibility and ease of post-occupancy modification, a reduction in on-site wet processes, and a decrease in waste materials during construction. It is essential to consider and address the challenges related to the use of gypsum light partitions [4], which include:  
* Instability of Mounted Objects: There was a recurrent issue of light objects and accessories hung on gypsum boards falling off, indicating inadequate preparation for load bearing on gypsum ceiling finishes. * Crack Development: A significant problem observed was the emergence of cracks at the points where partitions meet core building elements, such as ceilings, exterior walls, and around door frames. * Gaps in Finishes: Noticeable gaps were frequently found in ceiling finishes, compromising aesthetics and structural integrity. * Electrical Fixture Issues: Loose electrical fixtures were a common problem within the gypsum partitions, posing potential safety hazards. * Skirting Board Incompatibility: Skirting boards often had shapes not conducive to proper adhesion to gypsum boards, leading to structural weaknesses. * Moisture Penetration: A significant concern was the wetting of gypsum finishes due to water seeping through the building's exterior envelope, particularly under windowsills. * Inadequate Sealants: The sealants used at the junctions between sanitary fixtures and partitions were often not resistant to mold growth, undermining partition longevity and indoor air quality. Functional defects caused by faulty design and/or construction, such as cracking, water damage, and loose electrical fixtures, were usually discovered early after apartment occupancy and did not progress over time. However, attempts to repair these defects were not always successful. Defects arising from living in the apartment and others related to the service life of building systems (such as disintegration due to plumbing leaks) increased with the duration of residence. Given the significant role of partition walls in the life cycle of a building and the prevalent issues identified in their use, it is imperative to adopt a systematic approach to improve their design, installation, and maintenance. The challenges encountered highlighted the need for a robust methodology that would extend the life expectancy and enhance the overall performance of building interior partitions. This paper presents research that aims to predict the service life of interior partition walls and seeks to address common failure mechanisms by undertaking a systematic review and inferential statistical analysis. The presented research focuses on implementing a methodology to estimate the life expectancy of building components, particularly interior residential partitions, and predict their ongoing performance on the basis of a systematic review of their physical and visual condition and failure patterns at a given age.