Loss-handling professionals sometimes need a forensic engineer to provide answers to technical questions. Actionable information is required. Knowing what to look for in a forensic engineer is one key to a successful engagement. When in the process of engaging a forensic engineer, consider the...
In 2015, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported 1,282 civil aviation accidents in the United States, 1,210 of which belonged to General Aviation (GA). Of these 1,210 GA accidents, 238 involved a total of 406 fatalities. There are more than 220,000 general aviation aircraft in the...
The purpose of this article is to present an engineering method for the determination of cause by the identification of defects that lead to failure. While not all failures are the result of defects (and not all defects result in failures), identification of a defect may point to opportunities to...
When ships began to be built of iron and steel, the use of ballast water changed. Iron and steel as construction materials allowed ships to be built which could carry considerably more cargo than wooden ships. For example, the Flying Cloud, a famous wooden clipper ship built in 1851 that could carry...
When discussing “spontaneous combustion,” the first thing many people think is the myth of spontaneous human combustion. While a myth, there is a similar, well-documented phenomenon in fire science that doesn’t involve humans. Considered a bit of a misnomer, “spontaneous combustion” is anything but...
Though we may not realize it, our very days are dictated by pumps. If the fuel pump in our car does not function as designed, we may not get to work on time. If the city’s water pumps break down, we may not have water for that pot of coffee. If the electric utility’s pumps are inoperative, we may...
Wood has been the construction material of choice for centuries. The wood structures listed in The National Register of Historic Places served as testament to the long-term serviceability, or durability, of properly constructed and maintained wooden structures. It’s flexibility of usage, high...
The phone rings in the late afternoon on Friday and it isn’t good news. There was a fire at a compressor station. A shipment of new equipment showed up with visible damage. The drill string fell into the well and the contractors are trying to fish it out. Any number of things can happen to equipment...
We'll discuss the flow of steam and liquids through pipes, how water hammer happens, and design methods to avoid water hammer damages.
Boilers have a long-standing and notable place in American history as seen from the versatility of applications that range from steam engines to power generation. In a nutshell, boilers provide a means to transfer one form of energy to another. Under controlled conditions, the transfer of energy...
A 3D laser scanner has the capacity to document the entirety of a real-world object or environment down to the minutest of details. Laser scans act simultaneously as a camera and as a ruler, thus eliminating the need for photographic interpretation as well reducing the time required for physical...
Expansive soils, also known as soils with high shrink-swell potential, are common in various geographic regions, especially the central portion of North America.
Wind turbines are a good example of how technology can be both simple and complex at the same time. From a distance, wind turbine blades spinning in the wind are akin to a child simply blowing on a pinwheel. Up close and inside the workings of a wind turbine, it becomes apparent that there are...
A 1950s commercial building collapsed during building renovations, resulting in a million dollar lawsuit. EDT analyzed the renovation process and the actions of multiple parties to provide expert testimony in court.
EDT was asked to determine how long a plumbing leak had been in place as part of the evaluation of water-related damages to a residence.
