Fuzzy Systems in the Service-Life Prediction of Exterior Natural Stone Claddings

Abstract

Buildings and their elements are designed to be used for a certain period of time (their service life), fulfilling all requirements for which they were designed without excessive maintenance costs. However, buildings begin to deteriorate because the instant they are put into use, they begin to show a progressive loss of performance until they become obsolete, having deteriorated beyond minimal acceptable levels or having failed to meet economic expectations. Nowadays, mostly for economic and environmental reasons, there is a growing concern about the durability and service life of buildings. This paper discusses the service life prediction of natural stone claddings using a Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model. The models proposed include variables that influence the degradation of the claddings analyzed. To obtain the models proposed, samples of 140 and 203 façades were subjected to meticulous field work to determine their condition. The service life of the samples was also evaluated and the influence of the characteristics of the claddings on degradation was analyzed. This study demonstrates the usefulness of fuzzy systems to evaluate the service life of exterior stone claddings.