These books contain articles on R&D into the major aspects of durability and service life prediction of building materials and components, as well as theoretical aspects of methods and modelling of prediction, description of degradation environment by use GIS, as practical implementation of knowledge on durability in maintenance procedures and in standardisation and regulations.

First Published in 2004. This volume presents the proceedings of the seventh Conference on the Durability of Building Materials and Components, held in May 1996. Emphasis is given to service life data and in-service performance, and the text reflects current research activity in these areas.

First Published in 2004. In the process of harmonising the wide-ranging interests in this field, the series of international conferences Durability of Building Materials and Components, of which this is the seventh, has played a decisive role by bridging between different material and product areas and by giving researchers and practitioners an opportunity to meet every third year to discuss the latest R&D achievements. This conference covers a number of themes ranging from theoretical aspects of service life prediction to the practical implementation of knowledge on durability of building products in standards. This collection is the proceedings and will serve as a valuable reference to all interested in the wide and stimulating area of durability and service life prediction in building and construction. This is Volume Two on Testing, Design and Standardisation.

This book is the Proceedings of the fifth in the major series of triennial international conferences on the Durability of Building Materials and Components. It includes reports on current research into the causes, mechanisms and rates of deterioration of building materials, reliable means of repair and prevention of early failure, and new materials which can reduce construction costs.

Service Life Prediction of Polymeric Materials: Global Perspectives combines developed content derived from topics discussed in the Fourth International Symposium on Service Life Prediction (Key Largo, Florida, December 2006). This critical examination of the existing and alternative methodologies used to assess the service life of polymeric materials presents readers with the advances in accelerated and field exposure testing protocols. Written by established experts in the service life community, this volume introduces advanced methods, including high throughput and combinatorial analyses, models data collection and storage formats. Researchers and engineers involved with materials and polymer science, coatings technologists and automotive materials will find Service Life Prediction of Polymeric Materials: Global Perspectives a useful tool.

Presenting an analysis of different approaches for predicting the service life of buildings, this monograph discusses various statistical tools and mathematical models, some of which have rarely been applied to the field. It explores methods including deterministic, factorial, stochastic and computational models and applies these to façade claddings. The models allow (i) identification of patterns of degradation, (ii) estimation of service life, (iii) analysis of loss of performance using probability functions, and (iv) estimation of service life using a probability distribution. The final chapter discusses the differences between the different methodologies and their advantages and limitations. The authors also argue that a better understanding of the service life of buildings results in more efficient building maintenance and reduced environmental costs. It not only provides an invaluable resource to students, researchers and industry professionals interested in service life prediction and sustainable construction, but is also of interest to environmental and materials scientists.

Whole life-cycle costing (WLCC) is rapidly becoming the standard method for the long-term cost appraisal of buildings and civil infrastructure projects. With clients now demanding buildings that demonstrate value for money over the long term, WLCC has become an essential tool for those involved in the design, construction, operation and risk analysis of construction projects. Whole-life costing: risk and risk responses offers a thorough grounding in both the theory and practical application of WLCC. Part I deals with the fundamentals, providing the general background to appreciate WLCC concepts and whole life risk management techniques at the key decision-making milestones through a project’s life. Part II covers the design stage, including service life forecasting and environmental life-cycle assessment techniques in WLCC. Practical frameworks both for assessing whole life risks and risk responses, as well as guidance on developing WLCC budget estimates are also developed. In Part III, the authors consider WLCC during the construction and operations stages, with a strong emphasis upon risk analysis methods and dynamic WLCC assessment. With its mixture of established theory, best practice and innovative approaches, this book will help you make more accurate assessments of the long-term cost effectiveness of projects by: providing a thorough grounding in the theory of WLCC demonstrating how decision-making uncertainty can be reduced by basing choices on sound risk management principles identifying a systematic approach to planning the post-occupancy costs.