## 5 Discussion and Conclusions  
This research integrates empirical laboratory tests with field work for the assessment of the expected service life of natural stone claddings in standard and marine service conditions. The results of the laboratory tests indicate that the compliance of stone with the requirements of the standard for water absorption and resistance to crystallization testing is not a guarantee of the durability of the stone when used as an exterior cladding material in coastal zones. Therefore, a probabilistic method proposed in this article may be a reliable method for predicting the durability of exterior stone cladding. The analysis of the cladding techniques revealed that all of the degradation patterns fit linear patterns with a range of deterioration rates and regression coefficients R\({}^{2}\) between 0.74 and 0.90, indicating a high degree of reliability. The findings in Tables 5 and 6 demonstrate unequivocally that the fixing technique significantly impacted the rate of stone cladding degradation. Dry-fixed stone claddings were distinguished by longevity of service life in a marine environment, as well as under normal service conditions. Wet-fixed claddings, on the other hand, demonstrated a  
Figure 7: Deterioration pattern of exterior dry-fixed stone claddings in marine environment service conditions. stronger influence of the marine environment on the reference service life, while already exhibiting a greater rate of deterioration than the dry-fixed counterparts in both settings. The environmental factor coefficient derived using Equation (3) serves as validation for this finding. The usage of industry standard anchors in dry-fixed stone claddings may be the cause of the discrepancies. The quality and durability of the dry-fixed connection in the exterior stone cladding may be improved by the stainless-steel anchors specifically developed and regulated during the production process. Additionally, this method of fixing enables larger size and weight flexibility for the stone plates and/or panels, which makes it better suited for tough limestone, marble, and granite. These materials are less porous than porous sedimentary stones, which makes them more resistant to a marine environment [4; 42; 43; 44]. Nevertheless, large-size marble panels (height larger than 1.0 m) in a marine environment, in high temperatures, and in the presence of a moisture gradient suffer from the bowing failure mechanism; therefore, they are not recommended, especially under the influence of a marine environment [45; 46; 47; 48]. The main cause of the deterioration mechanism in wet-fixed stone cladding is the effect of cement mortar on the cladding stone. The high pH of the mortar (more than 12) and the high humidity level maintained at the back surface of stone plates have been linked to previously published claims that natural stones are extremely sensitive to the influence of Portland cement mortars (PCMs). As a result of the production of limonite (rust) crystals caused by the high pH levels in PCM, veins open up, and sedimentary stones (limestones and sandstones) containing secondary iron minerals begin to split [49; 50]. Because there is no airflow behind the stones due to high humidity, there are cycles of hygric expansion and shrinkage [51]. The following aspects were revealed to be the most frequent deterioration-promoting problems for both types of stone cladding exposed to a marine environment throughout the fieldwork: (1) Using stones with excessive (high) porosity (water absorption coefficient larger than 1), which allows salt solutions in a marine environment to penetrate stones and crystallize. When the pressure inside a stone builds due to crystallization within the microscopic capillary holes, flexure strains exceeding the stone's capacity result, which finally leads to fracture. (2) Using improper joint materials, which chemically react with the stone's minerals and result in visual deterioration from filler leaks.