Industry Experience Matters: Why Forensic Engineers Need Real-World Background

When a building fails or damage occurs, who do you call? Most people think any structural engineer can assess the situation, but there's a crucial difference between designing new structures and investigating why existing ones have failed.

The best forensic engineers bring something textbooks can’t teach: real-world industry experience. Over a decade of experience in telecommunications and heavy industry, and then transitioning into forensic work, I've seen firsthand why this background is crucial. It's the difference between understanding failure in theory versus recognizing the practical realities that cause structures to fail.

Moving Beyond the Academic Approach

Academic training provides valuable theory, but structural failures don’t follow neat patterns; they reflect the messy realities of construction and maintenance. Failures happen because of complex interactions between design intent, material behavior, construction practices, weather exposure, and long-term upkeep.

Most engineering programs focus on design—calculating loads, specifying materials, and creating drawings—but provide little experience with how structures are actually built or what can go wrong during construction.

This creates a gap. Forensic engineers who are only familiar with the academic side might overlook critical clues that point to the actual cause of failure.

What Industry Experience Brings to the Table

My background includes structural design and inspections for cell towers exposed to hurricanes and ice storms. I’ve also evaluated steel and concrete in humid pulp and paper mills where corrosion happens quickly.

These environments taught me lessons you can't learn in a classroom. For example, I investigated a tower collapse that wasn't caused by wind or ice. A kink in the guy wire near the anchor indicated that someone ran into the wire with a tractor, pulling the anchor out of the ground, causing the collapse. Without field experience, such human factors may be overlooked.

Industry work also puts you in direct contact with contractors and laborers. These are the people who actually build what engineers design. They know where plans don't match reality. They make field modifications to solve construction problems. Understanding their perspective helps you spot where things might have gone wrong.

Each Failure Tells a Unique Story

Every structural failure is a unique puzzle. Steel structures often fail due to corrosion, while concrete problems usually stem from improper installation. The details are key.

With steel, corrosion patterns tell you about moisture exposure and maintenance history. In the humid environment of pulp and paper, I'd find holes that were rusted completely through steel beams. The key was determining how much material was lost before the whole thing needed replacement.

Concrete foundations present different challenges. Much of the damage happens underground, where you can't see it. But above-ground concrete shows telltale signs; the width and pattern of cracks reveal whether they're new or old. Paint layers that have seeped into cracks show the damage occurred before the latest paint job.

Bridging Design Intent and Construction Reality

Here's something most people don't realize: some engineers are only concerned with the final condition of the structure, and do not fully consider how they’ll actually be built. This creates problems.

A contractor might substitute materials for easier installation. Workers might modify connections because the original design is hard to execute safely. These changes can compromise structural integrity, but the engineer who only knows the original design might miss them entirely.

Forensic engineers with construction experience can spot these deviations. We understand the pressures contractors face and the shortcuts they might take. This helps us identify where the real failure occurred.

The Importance of Staying Objective

As licensed engineers, our primary responsibility is public safety, not client satisfaction. This ethical obligation is crucial in forensic work where legal and financial stakes run high.

Maintaining objectivity means letting the evidence guide your conclusions, even when clients prefer different answers. This builds credibility and trust, especially in contentious insurance or legal situations.

Why Early Engagement Makes a Difference

Most forensic engineers get called only after major damage occurs. This reactive approach misses opportunities to catch problems early.

When I inspect hail damage on roofs, I'm not just looking at damaged shingles; I'm checking for water intrusion that could cause hidden damage over time. Early detection prevents bigger problems and reduces repair costs.

Engaging forensic expertise promptly after initial damage can distinguish between surface issues and deeper structural problems. This proactive approach delivers better outcomes for everyone involved.

Learning Across Different Construction Types

Moving from industrial steel and concrete to residential wood construction has been a learning curve. Wood behaves differently from steel. It's more flexible but also more susceptible to moisture damage.

Each material has its own failure patterns. Steel corrodes, concrete cracks due to improper installation, while wood rots or gets damaged by insects. Understanding these differences across multiple construction types makes a forensic engineer more effective.

Technology Helps, But Experience Guides

New technologies, including 3D scanning and drone inspections, generate impressive data. But technology can't replace experienced judgment in interpreting what that data means.

An AI system might flag every crack or deviation it finds. But only an experienced engineer can tell you which ones actually matter, and which ones are normal wear and tear.

The best approach combines technological tools with practical knowledge gained from years in the field.

What This Means for Clients

When you hire a forensic engineer, you want someone who can solve your specific problem. That requires understanding not just how structures should work, but how they actually get built and what typically goes wrong.

Industry experience helps forensic engineers ask better questions, spot subtle clues, and provide more accurate assessments. This leads to better repair decisions and prevents problems from recurring.

Whether you're dealing with storm damage, foundation issues, or structural failures, having a forensic engineer who understands real-world construction makes all the difference.

Looking Forward

The future of forensic engineering belongs to practitioners who combine diverse industry experience with ethical rigor and technological literacy. As construction becomes more complex and climate-related risks increase, this multidisciplinary expertise becomes even more valuable.

The best forensic engineers will be those who can adapt across different materials, construction types, and failure modes while maintaining the objectivity and practical insight that comes from hands-on industry experience.

At EDT, we believe this combination of real-world knowledge and investigative rigor delivers the most accurate and valuable forensic engineering services. When your structure is at risk, you need engineers who understand not just what should have happened, but what actually did.

About the Author

Luke Meadows, P.E. is a Consulting Engineer at Engineering Design & Testing Corp. (EDT) with a background in structural engineering and failure analysis. Licensed as a Civil Engineer in multiple states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee, Luke specializes in evaluating the performance and integrity of steel and concrete structures, with extensive experience in wind loading, environmental effects, and welded connections.