# Service Life Prediction and Life Cycle Costs of Light Weight Partitions
## 6 Conclusions  
The study conducted a comparative analytical examination of three residential building partition alternatives (gypsum board partitions, aerated concrete block partitions, and hollow concrete block partitions) that evaluated these technological alternatives by referring to four main aspects:  
* In standard service conditions, the predicted lifecycle entails the partitions being perfectly constructed and fully functional. Figure 17: Comparison of the Failure Mechanism Impact on Partition in Various Occupancy Conditions. * In predicted service life, \"inherent construction defects\" includes the impact of flawed construction or design that leads to non-progressive defects. * Predicted lifecycle under failure mechanisms includes scenarios where one or more failure mechanisms are identified. * Lifecycle cost analysis of partitions in compound conditions includes standard deterioration and failure mechanisms. In the research, four \"negative occupancy factors\" were recognized to affect the wear rate of partitions, and four categories of occupancy conditions (light, moderate, standard, and intensive service conditions) were subsequently identified. Standard service conditions are the ideal scenario in which the partition is flawlessly constructed without any inherent defect or expected failure mechanism. The findings reflect the standard lifecycle of partitions for planning purposes, and point out the following:  
* Typical Deterioration Paths of Partitions: All partitions show linear wear patterns with a constant deterioration rate that increases with the number of negative occupancy factors, leading to a gradual decrease in the partition performance. * Longest Predicted Standard Lifecycle (SLE): Hollow concrete block partitions have the longest predicted SLE over 50 years in all service conditions, except when the number of negative occupancy factors is four or more. The performance and maintainability of these partitions are the most stable. * High Service Life in Moderate or Light Conditions: In moderate or light service conditions (\(\mu<2\)), the predicted service life of hollow concrete block partitions is exceptionally high (over 100 years)--aerated concrete blocks over 72 years, and gypsum board partitions are the only ones to fall below 50 years (47 years). However, if we assume a building's planned service life is 50 years, these differences have minimal implications for life cycle costs. * Best Performance in Standard Service Conditions (\(2\leq\mu<4\)): Hollow concrete block partitions require no replacement due to their durable service life performance, compared to one replacement for aerated concrete and gypsum board partitions. * Variability in Intensive Service Conditions (\(4\leq\mu\)): Hollow concrete block partitions stand out with a stable predicted service life of 38 years, while others drop significantly, indicating that they are not well suited to intensive service conditions. * Service and occupancy conditions, as defined in this research, may be adapted as design criteria for interior partitions in residential buildings. Performance criteria, as proposed here, may enhance the sustainability of residential buildings interiors. The research analyzed inherent construction defects and evolving failure mechanisms, two categories of failure, observing a 4-10% reduction in the predicted service life due to inherent construction defects, with hollow concrete blocks showing less sensitivity than other materials. While Gypsum board partitions emerge as the most cost-effective in standard and minor failure conditions, their high sensitivity to increasing negative occupancy factors diminishes their suitability in more demanding or intensive service environments. The life cycle cost results of the partition alternatives in different service conditions show:  
* Gypsum Board Partitions as Economical Choice: In standard deterioration conditions and moderate or standard service conditions (\(\mu<4\)), gypsum board partitions are the most cost-effective choice.